CHICKEN 65

    

     Chicken 65 is an easy fried Chicken recipe with boneless Chicken bytes.  There are many variations of fried chicken, but this is the most sought after 'Starter' in fast food joints.  Though they look red and fiery, they are not as spicy as they look.
     Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish believed to have originated from Chennai, India, most specifically introduced in 1965 at the Buhari Hotel a famous restaurant in Chennai.  It serves as an entrée(starter) or even as a quick snack. It can be prepared using boneless or bone-in chicken and is usually served with Sliced Onions and Lemon wedges. Vegetarian variants like "Paneer 65" or "Gobi(Cauliflower) 65" are also prevalent.  Kerala has its own style of Beef 65 too, made with pre-cooked Beef pieces.
       Though the name 'Chicken 65' has a long running theory and story behind it.  It serves as a classic Chicken Fry with minimal ingredients.  Every South Indian state has its own variation of this recipe.  In Coimbatore, this dish is commonly called as 'Chilli Chicken', it is literally Chicken 65 rather different from its original recipe which is more or less Schezwan like.
     The flavour of the dish can be attributed to Red Chilly Powder but rest of the ingredients for the recipe can vary.  Some flavour it with Garam Masala, add fried Curry Leaves etc., to add an extra note to this dish.  But whatever may be the recipe -its the one & only, Chicken 65 or Chilli Chicken as commonly named in our household.

Cuisine : South Indian
Course : Appetizer / Starter
Spice Level : Medium
Difficulty : Easy
Serves :3-4
Author : SM

Preparation Time : 5-10 Minutes
Marination Time : Overnight / 3-4 Hours
Cooking Time : 20 - 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS :

To Marinate:

Boneless Chicken - 500 Gms
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Red Food Colour - (Optional)
Corn flour- 3-4 Tbspn
Mono sodium Glutamate(Aji-no-moto) - a Pinch (Optional)
Egg- 1
Salt - To Taste
Lemon Juice - 2-3 Tspns

To Fry :

Oil

To Garnish :

Onion Slices
Lemon wedges

METHOD:

• Clean and cut the chicken into small cubes.
• Allow it to dry in a colander.
• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'To Marinate'.
• Add the Chicken Pieces to the Marinade and mix well.
• Leave the marinated Chicken for at least 1 hour or over night in the refrigerator.
• Heat cooking oil and deep fry the chicken in small batches until they are well cooked and the sizzling stops in medium heat.
• Remove the fried Chicken pieces and allow it to drain on a paper towel.
• Serve hot as a starter or as any side dish for your preferred dish.

NOTES :

• Drain the chicken pieces well, before marinating them.
• Adding MSG(Aji-no-moto) and Red food colour to the marinade is totally optional.
• Adjust the amount of spiciness to your preference.
• Kashmiri chilli powder is less hot and gives a red colour to the dish, even without adding food colour.
• I have not used the food colouring in this recipe.
• Longer marination time ensures soft and succulent fried Chicken.