Diwali is a time to come together with loved ones to celebrate the victory of good over evil. The days leading up to it are filled with laughter, the fragrance of fresh flowers, warmth from lit oil lamps or “diyas,” and delicious aromas from the kitchen. This recipe for Chicken 65 is a part of our childhood Diwali memories.
Chicken 65 is a popular South Indian dish. It originated in the City of Madras, currently known as Chenna, in 1965, in a restaurant called Buhari Hotel. My grandfather would take my amma and her siblings there once a month as a special treat on his payday. The beautiful color comes from the deep hues of the Kashmiri chili powder, and the unique flavor is from curry leaves, an Indian herb. It is usually served as an appetizer as part of an elaborate Diwali meal. Serve our Whole30 Indian Fried Chicken on a platter along with other favorite Diwali snacks like Aloo Tikki and Whole30 Samosa bites.
You can also make Whole30 compatible main courses like mutton curry or chicken korma for Diwali.
Tips and Tricks:
- Chili powder and cayenne pepper can be substituted with paprika for less heat.
- If fresh curry leaves are not available, use dried curry leaves. Do not substitute curry leaves with curry powder. Curry leaf is an herb, while curry powder is a spice mix.
- Ginger garlic paste can be substituted with minced and finely chopped ginger root.
Check out strategies on how to celebrate Diwali during a Whole30 here.
Whole30 Indian Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs cubed
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 3 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 25 curry leaves
- 2 tbsp coconut yogurt
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 6 tbsp avocado oil
For serving
- chopped white onion
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- PAT dry the chicken pieces.
- ADD the following ingredients to the chicken: Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, coconut yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Give it all a good mix.
- CHOP 15 curry leaves and mix with the chicken (skip this step if you don’t have curry leaves).
- MARINATE chicken for at least 30 minutes. The longer the chicken marinates, the better the flavors build up, so if feasible, marinate longer.
- ADD tapioca starch right before you plan to shallow fry the chicken and toss the chicken pieces to coat them with the starch.
- HEAT oil in a large pan.
- ADD 10 curry leaves to flavor the oil (skip this step if you don’t have curry leaves).
- PLACE the chicken pieces in the hot oil carefully and shallow fry each side for 6-8 minutes till the chicken is browned well.
- SERVE with freshly chopped onion and a squeeze of lemon.
