Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is one of the most popular appetizers, originating in South India. It is very spicy, tangy, has a distinctive red colour and is full of flavours. It can be eaten as it is or with plain rice and flatbreads like naan or parathas. The origin of the name of Chicken 65 has some interesting versions. The most popular story is that this dish was at number 65 of a menu in a military canteen in Chennai. Since soldiers from North India could not read the menu, which was written in Tamil, they just ordered the dish by mentioning the number 65. Soon this chicken dish came to be popularly known as Chicken 65! 

I have eaten Chicken 65 in many places in India and in Austin and I find they all have slightly different flavours. I have added the ingredients and the amount based on what I prefer, but you can adjust some of them, especially the chillies or chilli powder depending on how spicy you want it to be. (The spicier, the better!)

Prep Time: 2 ½ hours Cooking time: 20 min Serves: 4

For marinade:

Boneless, skinless chicken cut into small cubes: 1 kg

Red Chilli powder: 1 tbsp

Kashmiri Mirch Powder: 1 tbsp

Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Ginger paste: 1 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice: 4 tbsp

Corn starch/cornflour: 1 tbsp

Plain flour: 1 tbsp

Large egg: 1 (or 2 small eggs)

Salt to taste

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Other Ingredients:

Curd: 1 1/2 cups

Red chilli powder: 2 tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Plain flour: ½ tsp

Salt: 1 pinch

Red food colour: 2 or 3 drops (optional)

Oil: 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Whole red chillies: 2

A few curry leaves

Slit green chillies: 2

Chopped garlic: 2 cloves

Chopped ginger: 1 inch piece

Chopped onions: 1 small

Grated coconut: 1 tsp (optional)

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

1) Mix all the marinade ingredients well with the chicken pieces and keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

3) In a bowl, mix curd, red chilli powder, pepper powder, a pinch of salt, ½ tsp plain flour and red food colour.

4) In a wok or pan, temper 2 tbsp oil with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chillies. Saute it for a couple of minutes and add the curry leaves. Now fry chopped onions, ginger, garlic and slit green chillies on medium high heat.  

5) When they become golden brown, pour the curd mixture and add the fried chicken pieces and toss them well till the pieces are coated with the masala and the gravy becomes dry.

6) Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut and serve hot. I made Lachcha Paratha with Chicken 65, and will put up the recipe tomorrow!