A bold, fiery, super spicy Chicken 65 recipe that emulates restaurant flavor. This is a fun change from your usual chicken curries. Perfect served as an appetizer/side or main dish! Includes air-frying instructions if you want to skip the deep-frying.
This was much better than any restaurant I ate from! I was worried that I’ve left the pieces of chicken a bit thick but they were so juicy and full of flavour. I served it with your gorgeous matar pulao and it was a huge hit!
Khadijah
Chicken 65
This isn’t your classic Hyderabadi Chicken 65. If you’re craving the traditional version, my friend (and Tea for Turmeric’s very own) Asiya shares her mom’s Chicken 65 recipe, which I’ve tried and loved. This version is more restaurant-style in look, feel, and taste.
Think fried chicken coated in a bold, tangy, lip-smacking sauce, infused with the distinct flavor of curry leaves. The sauce is super spicy, but in a tolerable, additive way. This dish is one your guests will be drawn to, and you’ll want leftovers of. It’s one of those natural hits like Chicken Puff Patties or Biryani.
I learned this recipe from a Pakistani caterer and tweaked it until it met the approval of my friend Isra, who’s also Hyderabadi. It’s not exactly Indo-Chinese (Isra joked that an Indo-Chinese Chicken 65 is like a Mexican Pulao), but it does have those hot and sour, subtly sweet elements thanks the chili garlic sauce.
Ingredients
Unlike your standard Punjabi-style Tea for Turmeric recipe, this one may require a trip to the Indo-Pak grocery store. Here are some notes on key ingredients:
Chicken Marinade Ingredients
- Red chili powder: A generous amount, but gets muted when coated and fried. Use Kashmiri chili or paprika to make the chicken itself less spicy. (Note that your sauce will still be spicy!)
- Egg: Binding agent for the marinade, but you don’t need too much. I use the smallest egg in my egg carton (~50-60g).
- Baking soda: Tenderizes the chicken. I also use it in my Chicken Manchurian and Cashew Chicken. If you’re marinating for a longer time, do not add this until you’re ready to fry the chicken.
- Cornstarch (cornflour): Essential coating for the chicken to make it juicy and crisp.
- All-purpose flour: Adds more crunch to the batter and makes the chicken slightly golden when fried (all-cornstarch batters don’t become golden-brown).
- Water, if needed: The egg should have enough moisture to help the cornstarch bind to the chicken. If it’s too dry/clumpy, you may need to add a bit of water to help it mix.
Tarka Ingredients
- Red or deep orange food color: Essential for the restaurant-look/color. I use the powdered Preema food coloring, the same type that I use for Biryani or Zarda. Feel free to sub with liquid food coloring.
- Water: Thins out the sauce. You can control how much sauce the recipe makes. Use up to 1/2 cup water for a more saucy Chicken 65.
- Indian green chillies or Serrano peppers: The sauce is spicy enough, so it doesn’t really need more heat, but green chillies give it essential flavor. If you can get your hands on Indian/finger chilies, they’re best for flavor without the heat. Otherwise, use Serrano. If you must use Thai/bird’s eye chillies, leave them whole.
- Kari patta (curry leaves): The star ingredient. Comes from the curry tree native to India and Sri Lanka, not to be confused with bay leaves. Use fresh curry leaves, which you can find at most Indo-Pak grocery stores. Freezing them tends to lose flavor and makes them extra sputtery during the Tarka.
- Whole dried red chili: Adds texture and mild heat. I use button/dundicut, which I also use for the Tarka in Kadhi Pakora or Chana Dal.
- Ginger and garlic paste: Though there’s sliced garlic in the Tarka, some crushed/finely chopped garlic and ginger rounds out and gives depth to the sauce.
- Desi chili garlic sauce: Indian or Pakistani-style chili garlic sauce is integral to the flavor of this dish. It’s spicy but not as spicy as Asian-style chili garlic. It also lends a balanced amount of tang to this recipe. I prefer National brand but have also tested with Mitchell’s, which tastes very similar.
- More recipes that use Chili Garlic Sauce: Chicken Shashlik, Chicken Manchurian, Hakka Noodles
- Plain, whole milk yogurt: Adds depth to the sauce and balances out the heat of the chili garlic sauce.
How to make Chicken 65
Full recipe is in the recipe card. Here are step-by-step photos and essential tips along the way:
Marinate
- Marinate chicken: Coat the chicken with the spices and salt. If you’re not frying the chicken immediately and want to marinate the chicken longer, do so before adding the remaining marinade ingredients. Toss with baking soda, egg, cornstarch, and flour right before frying.
Fry Chicken
- Fry chicken: The difference between frying small pieces of chicken vs frying things like, say, Dahi Bhallay or Pakoray, is that you want to fry on higher heat for a shorter time. Frying at lower temps for longer will make your chicken chewy and dry.
- Or Air-fry. Full instructions are in recipe card. (My air-fried chicken pieces are a tad smaller because I was making it more saucy and serving with rice.)
Prepare Tarka
- Make colored water: Combine the food coloring with the water in a small bowl or measuring cup. If you want a saucier Chicken 65, use up to 1/2 cup water.
- Tarka: The Tarka moves quickly. Have everything nearby and keep the heat on medium so you have better control over how toasty the cumin and garlic gets. I add the curry leaves after the cumin/garlic to keep their vibrant color and flavor.
- Add sauce and yogurt: The key here is to cook down the chili garlic longer than you think you need. While testing, I made the mistake of not cooking it long enough, which gives the sauce more diluted, ‘raw’ flavor. You want it to thicken and turn glossy.
- Add colored water and cook it down to your desired consistency.
Simmer Together
- Lastly, toss in the chicken and let it absorb the flavors of the sauce.
How to Serve Chicken 65
Chicken 65 is hard to categorize but versatile in serving. It’s not exactly a street food or chai snack, but could be served in that way. On restaurant menus, it’s usually under ‘appetizers’ (even though appetizers aren’t really a thing in Desi cuisine) or chicken main dishes.
- Traditional Hyderabadi versions are paired with roti (as Asiya prefers) or Khatti Dal and plain rice (Isra’s Choice).
- This version is good all by itself, with a squeeze of lemon to cut the heat and sliced red onions for texture. For a more substantial meal, I love having it with basmati rice to give it a plain backdrop against the bold flavors.
- As part of a spread, I’ve served it with Chicken Biryani, Aloo Gosht, and Mint Raita.
How to Store and Reheat
I’m usually not super excited about leftovers, but Chicken 65 is an exception. I can’t get enough!
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave until heated through. Sometimes the moisture will pool up at the bottom. To fix that, throw it in on a hot saucepan and let the sauce homogenize. To keep the chicken crispy, try reheating in the air-fryer it with aluminum foil underneath.
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
Easy CHICKEN 65 (Saucy, Fiery, Irresistible!)
A bold, fiery, super spicy Chicken 65 that emulates restaurant flavor. This recipe is a fun change from your usual chicken curries. Perfect served as an appetizer/side or main dish! Includes air-frying instructions if you want to skip the deep-frying!
Servings 4
Calories 403kcal
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast cut into ¾-1”/1.9-2.5cm cubes (Note 1)
- 1-1 ½ tsp red chili powder or Kashmiri chili for less heat
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 small egg whisked
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp corn starch (corn flour)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp water if needed
- neutral oil as needed for frying
Tarka
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/8 tsp red or deep orange food color (I use preema powder) – Note 2
- 1/4 cup neutral oil such as grapeseed oil
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2-3 small mild green chili peppers preferably Indian green chilies (finger chilies) or Serrano – stemmed and halved (deseeded to reduce heat)
- 5 whole dried red chili peppers I use the small round/dundicut chili
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 3 sprigs small fresh curry leaves (kari patta) removed from stem
- 1/3 cup South Asian-style chili garlic sauce (I use National brand, have also tried Mitchell's brand) – Note 3
- 1/3 cup plain, whole milk yogurt whisked
- 1/8 heaping tsp sea salt
- lemon wedges optional, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: Rinse the chicken in cold water and drain. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and lightly pat it dry. Add the red chili powder, black pepper, salt, and baking soda and toss to coat chicken evenly. Stir in the egg. Lastly, add the cornstarch and all-purpose flour and toss to coat the chicken, adding the measured water if it gets clumpy or hard to mix.
- Preheat oil (See Note 4 for Air Frying instructions): Heat a large frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add oil so that it’s at least 1/2”/1.27 cm deep. It should be deep enough so that the batter doesn't stick to the bottom. Once the oil is hot, adjust heat level as needed to maintain medium-high heat (around 325-350°F/113-175°C).
- Fry chicken: Gently lower each piece of chicken into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. (I like to use tongs to pick up the chicken and lower it into the oil.) Fry, turning often, until crispy and golden brown all over, 4-5 minutes. You want to maintain a medium-high temperature. Temp too low = chicken drying out. Temp too high = chicken still raw inside.
- Remove: Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to transfer the chicken onto a wire cooling rack or paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Prep food color water: Place the water in a small measuring cup or bowl. Stir in the food coloring. Set aside.
- Tarka: Gather Tarka ingredients along with water for deglazing the pan and set within reach. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, sliced garlic, green chili peppers, and whole dried chili peppers. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, until the garlic begins to brown. Deglaze with 2 tbsp water. Once the water dries up, add the garlic paste, ginger paste, and curry leaves and sauté until aromatic, another 2 minutes.
- Add sauce: Add the chili garlic sauce, yogurt, and salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces. You want to 'cook out' the raw flavor from the chili garlic. The longer you simmer, the more concentrated the flavor. Pour in the colored water and bring to a simmer again for another 2 minutes.
- Simmer together: Add the chicken and toss to coat. Taste and add salt, if needed. Simmer together for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Serve hot as an appetizer or with basmati rice. I like to serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
Note 1: I use chicken breast but chicken thighs are great here too. If using thighs, you may not need the baking soda, which makes the chicken extra tender. Size of chicken pieces can vary depending on preference and if you’re serving it as an appetizer (larger pieces) or a curry with rice (smaller pieces).
Note 2: Use deep orange (not regular orange) or red food color powder. If you can’t find it, liquid food coloring will also work.
Note 3: This is what makes the recipe inherently spicy, but also gives it essential flavor. Asian/American chili garlic will make the sauce too spicy. You want Indian/Pakistani-style chili garlic, which has a balance of hot, sweet, and sour flavor. I prefer National brand, but have also tested with Mitchell’s. If you can’t find it, use less Asian-style chili garlic with a bit of sugar for subtle sweetness.
Note 4: Goes without saying that frying will give best results. But honestly, this chicken air-fries surprisingly well. Here’s how to do it:
Air-frying instructions
- Preheat air fryer at 400°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Lightly spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place the chicken pieces in a single layer so they’re not touching. (I need to do 3 batches in my air-fryer.)
- Spray the top of the chicken generously with cooking spray.
- Air fry the chicken pieces at 400°F (190°C) for 10 minutes, or until they’re lightly golden brown. If you want, you can flip the pieces/give it a shake midway for more even cooking. But I don’t find it *absolutely* essential.
Nutrition
Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 2232mg | Potassium: 525mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 571IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
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