Spicy Hyderabadi Chicken 65 Recipe

Chicken 65 is a very popular Hyderabadi deep fried chicken recipe. Like most of us I too am not sure how this recipe got its name primarily because there are so many stories to it.

One story claims that a hotelier prepared the Chicken 65 recipe with1 kilo of chicken using 65 chilies. Another attributes the number 65 to the year when the recipe was introduced and yet another attributes 65 to the age of chicken in days. What ever the story, there is no denying that this recipe is hot and spicy delicious. So without further ado lets get started.

Ingredients for Chicken 65 Recipe:

• Boneless chicken – 1/2 kg
• Egg – 1 no
• Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Red chilly powder  – 1 tsp
• Red food color – 2 pinch
• Corn flour – 2 tbsp
• Green chilly – 8 no (split)
• Curry leaves – 10 no
• Ginger finely chopped –1 tbsp
• Curd/Yogurt – 1 1/2 cup
• Ajinomoto – 1 pinch
• Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnish
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt to taste
  

Cooking Method for Chicken 65 Recipe:

1. Take a bowl. Add ginger garlic paste, food color, salt, chilly powder, corn-flour, egg, chicken and mix well. Set aside this marinate for half an hour.
2. Take a heavy bottom deep frying pan with sufficient oil.
3. When oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces in batches and set aside.
4. Take another nonstick pan. Put 2 tbsp oil, add finely chopped ginger and fry for 2 min.
5. Put green chilies and sauté for another 2 minutes. Then put curry leaves and fry till curry leaves turn crispy.
6. Add yogurt and cook for a couple of more minutes. When the curd starts to bubble, add salt, ajinomoto , food color and then add the fried chicken. Now increase the heat and mix well.
7. Once you see that the chicken has absorbed 3/4th of the curd, add pepper and mix well.
8. Continue tossing the chicken slowly without breaking them into smaller pieces. I would recommend using a wooden spatula. Toss the chicken until all the curd is absorbed and you are left with almost dry chicken pieces.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.