Chicken 65 🍗 South Indian Style 🇮🇳

Description

Fiery, crispy bite-size chicken with curry leaves, green chilies, and lemon — bar-snack energy, restaurant crunch 🔥🍋.
Hook: 30-minute marinate → 6-minute fry → tandoor-level crisp ⚡

Ingredients

• 🍗 Boneless chicken thighs, 2–3 cm cubes — 700 g (1.5 lb)
• 🍋 Lemon juice — 15 ml (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🧂 Salt — 1 tsp (6 g / 0.21 oz)
• Marinade & Coating
• 🫚 Ginger-garlic paste — 20 g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp / 0.7 oz)
• 🌶 Kashmiri chili powder (mild, color) — 2 tsp (6 g / 0.21 oz)
• 🌕 Turmeric — ¼ tsp (0.8 g)
• 🌿 Garam masala — ½ tsp (1.5 g)
• ⚫ Black pepper — ¼ tsp (0.8 g)
• 🥣 Thick yogurt — 60 g (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🌾 Rice flour — 30 g (¼ cup / 1.1 oz)
• 🌾 Cornstarch — 30 g (¼ cup / 1.1 oz)
• 🥚 Egg white (optional, extra crisp) — 1
• 🛢 Neutral oil — 1 tsp (5 ml)
• Tempering / Finish
• 🛢 Oil for frying — to 175 °C (350 °F)
• 🍃 Fresh curry leaves — 15–20
• 🌶 Green chilies, slit — 2
• 🧄 Garlic, thin slices — 3 cloves
• 🍋 Lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Season & marinate: Toss 🍗 chicken with 🍋 lemon and 🧂 salt. Mix all marinade items into a thick paste; coat chicken. Rest 30–60 min (fridge).
2. 2️⃣ Fry: Heat oil to 175 °C / 350 °F. Fry chicken in batches 5–6 min until deep red-gold and cooked through. Drain on a rack.
3. 3️⃣ Temper: In 1–2 tbsp hot oil, sizzle 🍃 curry leaves, 🌶 chilies, and 🧄 garlic 30–40 s.
4. 4️⃣ Toss & serve: Toss fried chicken in the temper. Squeeze 🍋 lemon. Serve hot (mint chutney optional).

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 15 min (+ marinate 30–60 min)

🔥 Cook: 12–15 min

⏳ Total: ~30 min active

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