Indian Fried Chicken
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 777
- Total Fat
- 52
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Carbohydrates
- 38
- Dietary Fiber
- 4
- Sugar
- 2
- Protein
- 40
- Cholesterol
- 164
- Sodium
- 740
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder, or more or less depending on desired spice
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
4 cloves garlic, grated
One 2-inch piece ginger, grated
3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Oil, for frying
1 cup semolina flour (regular, not fine)
1 cup rice flour
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney (recipe follows)
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney:
2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 to 3 Thai green chiles or 1 serrano chile, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
Zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
Kosher salt
Directions
- Whisk together the chili powder, paprika, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt, garlic and ginger and mix well. Add the chicken and coat each piece thoroughly with the yogurt mixture. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, heat a large, heavy pot filled with 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the semolina and rice flour in a large bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge each piece in the flour mixture until completely coated.
- Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, fry the chicken in the oil until golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, adjusting the heat to keep the temperature of the oil between 325 and 350 degrees F. Transfer the chicken to the rack with tongs to drain.
- Place the chicken on a platter, sprinkle with salt if desired, and garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro. Serve hot with Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney.
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney:
- Combine the cilantro, yogurt, chiles, garlic, lime zest, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender and process until smooth. It should be the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If it’s too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Taste and add more lime juice and/or salt, if needed. Makes 1 cup.