Chakhokhbili from chicken - general description
Chakhokhbili is a very famous dish of Georgian cuisine, which is inferior in popularity only to barbecue. Initially, it was prepared from wild pheasant meat. These birds were once found in large numbers in the mountains of Georgia. But after many years it was almost impossible to get such an exotic meat, so now the chakhokhbili is successfully prepared from ordinary chicken. This dish is a kind of stew, in which, in addition to chicken, tomatoes and all kinds of spices are present. The highlight of the chakhokhbili is that the meat is first fried without adding oil. In this case, a golden crust is formed, which does not allow it to become dry, sealing inside delicious meat juice. It should be noted that there are recipes for chakhokhbili from beef, lamb and even fish, but still the closest option to the original recipe is chakhokhbili from chicken.
Chakhokhbili from chicken - preparation of dishes
For cooking, you will need a frying pan, preferably with a non-stick coating, since at the first stage the chicken is fried without oil. Next, a stewpan will be needed. The dimensions of the dishes are determined by the amount of chicken meat. Usually a standard stewpan about 25-30 cm in diameter per 1.5 kilogram chicken is enough.
Chakhokhbili from chicken - preparation of products
For the preparation of chakhokhbili, the chicken must be cut in a special way, namely, in no case do not remove fat and skin. Chicken is cut into portions, if desired, can be cut and smaller. Tomatoes must be scalded and peeled before adding to the dish, as they must be completely dissolved in the prepared dish.
Chakhokhbili from chicken - the best recipes
Recipe 1: Chakhokhbili from chicken - classic
This is a classic Chakhokhbili recipe, which involves adding traditional Georgian spices, wine, and a large amount of fresh herbs to the dish. This rather spicy and piquant dish is best served with a neutral taste garnish.
Ingredients
1.5 kg of chicken
0.5 kg of tomatoes
1-2 medium carrots
2-3 large onions
2-3 tbsp. tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red dry wine
1 lemon
spices: salt, coriander, red pepper, bay leaf, suneli hops
greens: dill, parsley, cilantro, basil
Cooking method
Wash the chicken and cut into portions, leave fat and skin at the same time. Heat over a frying pan over high heat (without oil!), Then reduce the heat and put the meat out. Fry it until golden brown.
After that, transfer the meat to a deep saucepan, and put the chopped onion and carrot (naturally, previously washed and peeled) into the pan from under the meat.
Vegetables should also be browned, after which they can be transferred to a stew-pan for meat. Then cover the dish and simmer for 15-20 minutes. After this, it is necessary to salt, add tomato paste and wine, sprinkle with spices (to taste, but if you want to get a real Georgian dish, then you should not regret spices).
Next, leave the dish on the smallest fire and proceed to the processing of tomatoes. Scald them with boiling water and peel. Then cut into slices and transfer to a stewpan. Then stew the dish for 25-30 minutes, before serving, sprinkle with plenty of chopped fresh herbs and garnish with lemon slices.
Recipe 2: Chakhokhbili Chicken with Walnuts
This is a slightly unusual chakhokhbili recipe in which walnuts are present. They add piquancy and originality. This recipe will especially appeal to those who are already familiar with this Georgian dish and would like to diversify its taste.
Ingredients
1.5 kg Chicken
3-4 large ripe tomatoes
3-4 medium onions
50 grams of butter
half a glass of walnuts
garlic
chilli
salt
greens: dill, parsley, cilantro, basil
Cooking method
The washed chicken carcass cut into portions. Strongly heat a dry frying pan, put meat on it and fry until crusted. Then transfer the chicken to the stewpan, add finely chopped onions and butter there. Stew for 10-15 minutes.
Scald the tomatoes, peel them, cut them into slices and transfer to a stewpan. Simmer for another 25-30 minutes.
After that add finely chopped walnuts and spices. Stew for another 5-7 minutes, then sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve.
Recipe 3: Chakhokhbili of chicken with speck
The peculiarity of this recipe is its pungent taste and cooking method, in which only one bowl (saucepan) is needed, since it is proposed to fry the chicken directly in it.
Ingredients
600 g chicken
3 medium onions
4 large ripe tomatoes
2 table. tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic
10 g butter
1 teaspoon adjika
greens: parsley, dill, cilantro, tarragon
spices: suneli hops, condary, coriander
Cooking method
Wash the chicken, cut into portions and put in a saucepan with thick walls. Fry until golden brown without adding oil with the lid closed. Pour the resulting juice into a separate container, add finely chopped onion and butter to the meat, simmer without a lid for 7-10 minutes.
Pour the tomatoes over with boiling water, peel, cut into slices and put in a saucepan. Then add adjika, tomato paste, garlic, chopped or minced through a garlic squeezer, simmer under the lid for 20-25 minutes.
After that, pour the juice that was drained at the beginning into the finished dish, warm it for 2-3 minutes, decorate with fresh chopped herbs and serve.
Chakhokhbili from chicken - useful tips from experienced chefs
1. Resist the temptation to add oil to the chicken. Without a doubt, the dish will still turn out delicious, but it will no longer be chakhohbili.
2. Do not spare spices and especially herbs, as Georgian cuisine is simply inconceivable without their huge quantity.
3. You can use anything you like as a side dish, but steamed rice is the best option.
