Chicken 65
By Nik SharmaPublished on April 30, 2025
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt 40 fresh curry leaves (20 chopped fine, 20 whole)8-10 garlic cloves, minced to paste (2 tablespoons), plus 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1½ tablespoons garam masala 3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided2½ teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder, divided1½ teaspoons table salt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 Thai chiles, stemmed½ teaspoon sugar 1½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying½ cup cornstarch ½ cup white rice flour ½ cup water
Before You Begin
In step 2 when frying the chiles and curry leaves, you may want to pop a lid on the saucepan to avoid splatter; this won't affect cooking time.
Instructions
- Whisk yogurt, chopped curry leaves, minced garlic, ginger, garam masala, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons chile powder, salt, and turmeric together in large bowl. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 16 hours.
- Heat vegetable oil in small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add Thai chiles and cook until skins are blistered, 1½ to 2 minutes. Add whole curry leaves and thinly sliced garlic and cook until leaves turn crisp but garlic is not browned, about 1 minute (curry leaves will sputter). Remove from heat. Swirling saucepan gently, add sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon chile powder, swirling until sugar is dissolved; set glaze aside.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add peanut oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 325 degrees. While oil heats, whisk cornstarch, flour, and water together in bowl until smooth. Add to marinated chicken–yogurt mixture, stirring to coat chicken well.
- Add one-third of chicken to oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring to separate pieces as needed. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer chicken to prepared sheet and transfer to oven to keep warm. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken in 2 more batches.
- Transfer chicken to large bowl and add glaze. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinatingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
40 fresh curry leaves (20 chopped fine, 20 whole)
8-10 garlic cloves, minced to paste (2 tablespoons), plus 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1½ tablespoons garam masala
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2½ teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder, divided
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 Thai chiles, stemmed
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup white rice flour
½ cup water
Ingredients
⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
40 fresh curry leaves (20 chopped fine, 20 whole)
8-10 garlic cloves, minced to paste (2 tablespoons), plus 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1½ tablespoons garam masala
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2½ teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder, divided
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 Thai chiles, stemmed
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup white rice flour
½ cup water
Ingredients
⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
40 fresh curry leaves (20 chopped fine, 20 whole)
8-10 garlic cloves, minced to paste (2 tablespoons), plus 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1½ tablespoons garam masala
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2½ teaspoons Kashmiri chile powder, divided
1½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 Thai chiles, stemmed
½ teaspoon sugar
1½ quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup white rice flour
½ cup water
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken 65 is a beloved South Indian dish found on Indian restaurant menus worldwide. Contrary to what some might imagine, the number “65” isn’t a nod to an exhaustive list of ingredients or an arbitrary spice level; it refers to 1965, the year it was first served at the legendary Buhari Hotel in Chennai. Though often found sizzling away in roadside stalls or served as a fiery bar snack, this dish has the kind of bold, punchy character that’s hard to forget: bite-sized pieces of chicken marinated in spiced yogurt for tenderness, then coated in a light mix of cornstarch and rice flour for a crust that stays audibly crisp. The real magic, though, comes from the final toss in a spicy, lemony glaze that clings to the chicken, glossy and bright.
Before You Begin
In step 2 when frying the chiles and curry leaves, you may want to pop a lid on the saucepan to avoid splatter; this won't affect cooking time.
Instructions
- Whisk yogurt, chopped curry leaves, minced garlic, ginger, garam masala, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons chile powder, salt, and turmeric together in large bowl. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 16 hours.
- Heat vegetable oil in small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add Thai chiles and cook until skins are blistered, 1½ to 2 minutes. Add whole curry leaves and thinly sliced garlic and cook until leaves turn crisp but garlic is not browned, about 1 minute (curry leaves will sputter). Remove from heat. Swirling saucepan gently, add sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon chile powder, swirling until sugar is dissolved; set glaze aside.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add peanut oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 325 degrees. While oil heats, whisk cornstarch, flour, and water together in bowl until smooth. Add to marinated chicken–yogurt mixture, stirring to coat chicken well.
- Add one-third of chicken to oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring to separate pieces as needed. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer chicken to prepared sheet and transfer to oven to keep warm. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken in 2 more batches.
- Transfer chicken to large bowl and add glaze. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments