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How to Make Chicken 65

September 17, 2016 By Dan Toombs 26 Comments

 

 
Chicken 65

Chicken 65… The perfect starter or snack.

 

Everything you need to know about how to make Chicken 65!

I learned a lot of fantastic chicken 65 recipes while travelling the UK, researching for my second cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Easy’.

As you will see, there are a lot of ingredients in this famous dish. For this reason, I almost didn’t include it in that book.

So don’t let all those ingredients scare you off! This recipe is super easy. Just get your ingredients lined up and you can make delicious chicken 65 at home. Just like me, I think you might just be doing that very often.

There are so many different recipes for chicken 65 in the UK but they are all quite similar. I like to serve it as a starter but it also makes a great snack. The spicy and crispy chicken pieces are to die for.

An optional extra is to stir in red chilli sauce to finish it all off. You could use the hot sauce of your choice and yes… shop bought is fine.

I have also tried chicken 65 many times in India and found the dish there to be very similar to those we get in the west. Perhaps that is why it has become so popular worldwide.

Once you’ve made the recipe, you will want to make in again and again.

Ever wondered why the dish is called ‘chicken 65’?

I’ve heard so many stories about how chicken 65 got its name. One was that the original chicken 65 had sixty-fine ingredients in it.

Although I have tried, I have yet to find a recipe that calls for that many ingredients but it is a possibility.

A more believable explanation was that chicken 65 was always the 65th option on the menu at popular restaurants in India. There were a lot of different dishes on the menus.

Diners would simply look for the 65th item on the menu and know it would be amazing.

Although this recipe does include red food colouring for the meat, it is not necessary for you to do so.

The colouring adds a nice colour that many people expect in a chicken 65 but that colouring has no flavour at all.

These step by step chicken 65 recipe photos should help you get the recipe just right.

Making chicken 65

Slice the chicken breasts at an angle as shown.

Making chicken 65

Marinating the meat. It’s red because I used red colouring in my homemade tandoori masala.

Making chicken 65

Fry for about 3 minutes until crisp and 85% cooked through.

Making chicken 65

The crispy chicken resting while the dish is finished off.

If you want to work ahead, you could fry the chicken up to a day before serving it. 

Then just heat through and you’re off. 

Making chicken 65

Tempering the whole spices and curry leaves in the oil.

Making chicken 65

Frying the garlic, ginger, spring onion and chillies.

Chicken 65

Stir in the chicken and remaining ingredients. All done

Here are more curry house curry favourites you might like to try!

    • Chicken Korma
    • Chicken Madras
    • Chicken Dhansak
    • Lamb Rogan Josh
    • Lamb Vindaloo
    • Chicken Chilli Garlic
    • Chicken Patia
    • Lamb Bhuna
    • Chicken Tikka Masala
    •  

      This chicken 65 recipe is served at all of my curry feasts!

      Yield: 4

      Chicken 65

      chicken 65

      Prep Time 20 minutes
      Cook Time 10 minutes
      Additional Time 30 minutes
      Total Time 1 hour

      Ingredients

      • 1kg (2lb 3oz) chicken breasts
      • Rapeseed (canola) oil, for deep-frying
      • 1 tsp black mustard seeds

      • 1 tsp cumin seeds

      • 20 curry leaves

      • 3 green chillies, sliced

      • 12 garlic cloves, finely chopped

      • 10cm (4in) piece of ginger, peeled and julienned

      • 3 spring onions (scallions), roughly chopped

      • 2 tbsp lemon juice

      • 2–3 tbsp chilli sauce (optional)
      • 2 eggs, beaten

      • 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
      • 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

      • 3 tbsp rice flour
      • 1 tsp ground turmeric

      • 1 tbsp ground cumin

      • 1 tsp ground coriander

      • 2 tsp chilli powder

      • 11⁄2 tbsp tandoori masala
      • 
1 tsp salt
      • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

      Instructions

      1. Slice the chicken breasts into small bite-size pieces (tikka). Mix all the batter ingredients into a paste, then rub it evenly into the chicken pieces. If time permits, let this marinate for about
      2. 30 minutes or overnight, but this isn’t crucial.
      3. When ready to deep-fry, heat about 10cm (4in) of oil in a large wok. The oil is ready when a small piece of chicken
        sizzles immediately upon putting it in the oil. If using an oil thermometer, aim for 190°C (375°F).
      4. Fry the chicken in batches until the exterior is nice and crispy and the meat is almost cooked through. This should
        take 2–3 minutes per batch.
      5. Place the finished chicken pieces on a wire rack to rest while you fry the remaining batches. The frying can be done ahead of time. Store the fried chicken covered in the fridge until ready to use.
      6. Once cooled a bit, remove all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil from the wok. Place over a high heat and toss in the
        mustard seeds. When they begin to pop (after about 30 seconds), reduce the heat to medium–high, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies and fry for a further 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant and soft – about 1 minute should do the job.
      7. Tip in the chicken and spring onions (scallions) and stir well to coat. Fry over a high heat until the chicken is completely cooked through.
      8. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and add thechilli sauce (if using). Give it all one last good stir, check for seasoning, adding a little more salt if needed, and serve.

      Recommended Products

      As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

      • Deep Fat Fryer
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      • Le Creuset Wok
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      • Waring Spice Grinder
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      • I.O.Shen Chefs Knife
        I.O.Shen Chefs Knife
      • Joseph Joseph cutting board
        Joseph Joseph cutting board

      Did you like this recipe?

      Please join me on Facebook where I share all my latest recipes and videos. Just click that Facebook icon on the left and let's get to know each other!

      © Dan Toombs
      Cuisine: American / Category: Main

       

      If you like this authentic chicken 65 recipe, you’ve simply got to try my super spicy chicken wings!

Filed Under: Favourites, Indian Chicken Recipes

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Comments

  1. Lee Cooper says

    September 17, 2016 at 4:45 pm

    I’ve never actually heard of this dish, but it sounds wonderful!

    Do you think it may work with prawns? My wife is a non-dairy pescotarian, so prawns would be excellent.

    May give it a try regardless 😉

    Reply
  2. Shaun Ashley says

    October 1, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Hi Dan, it’s good to have you back.
    Chicken 65 looks great, that’s my Saturday sorted!!
    Quick question….why do you cut the chicken at an angle?
    I’m hoping you haven’t said why in the recepe and I’ve just missed it !!!

    Reply
  3. Russell says

    October 3, 2016 at 2:17 pm

    Hi Dan,
    Just finished making your Chicken 65 recipe and followed it pretty much to the letter.

    What can I say…an absolutely fantastic recipe and packed full of flavour, with just the right amount of spices heat.

    I was reluctant to add the chilli sauce at the end, as I thought it may make it a little too hot for some. However, i tried it on a couple of pieces and how wrong I was, as it didn’t add any heat, but certainly added a finishing touch of complementary flavour.

    Thanks for this recipe, my family love it, as I am sure the lads down at my football club will…the boys always like it when I take a big batch for munching on with a cold beer after the match!

    Kindest regards,
    Russell (A Pom who loves his curry) Bunbury, Western Australia.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      October 4, 2016 at 11:56 am

      Hi Russel

      Great news! Thank you. I’m really glad you liked the recipe. I’ve got a lot more on the way.

      Cheers,
      Dan

      Reply
  4. Shaun Ashley says

    October 15, 2016 at 9:35 am

    Hi Dan, tried this a recipe a couple of weeks ago and loved it so much I’m doing it again today…absolutely delicious, it gows really well with potato curry….thank you and keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      October 19, 2016 at 9:44 am

      Thank you very much Shaun. Really glad you liked the recipe. 🙂

      Dan

      Reply
  5. Gail says

    March 21, 2017 at 12:32 am

    I purchased your app and have loved all the recipes I have made from it but now I can’t access ithe app anymore. It just continues to say it’s downloading. I left it running for 5 hours the other day and it still didn’t open.
    Please can you fix it so that I can continue to use it.
    Especially for those of us who didn’t just get the free basic app.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      March 27, 2017 at 11:41 am

      Hi Gail

      Sorry about that. A few people have reported problems after we added new recipes a while back. Are you still having this problem, if so, please let me know and I will put you in contact with the developer of the app who should be able to help you.

      Thank you,
      Dan

      Reply
  6. Jason says

    May 31, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    Hi dan,
    Really, seriously good! Do you think it would work using pigs cheeks? and if so would the frying time need to be changed?
    Jay.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      June 1, 2017 at 8:29 am

      Hi Jason

      Thank you. Pigs cheeks are quite tender as there isn’t a lot of muscle so I think they should work well. You might need to experiment some but try the recipe as it is first. Good luck.

      Dan

      Reply
  7. DHARAMBIR CHAUDHARY says

    June 28, 2017 at 8:44 am

    great , interesting combinations!!

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      June 30, 2017 at 8:30 pm

      Thank you Dharambir. 🙂

      Dan

      Reply
  8. Nicole says

    June 29, 2017 at 11:14 am

    Aaah! That looks so good. Thank you for the recipe. I’ll try it soon

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      June 30, 2017 at 8:25 pm

      Thank you very much Nicole! 🙂

      Dan

      Reply
  9. Catering in Den Haag says

    July 29, 2017 at 7:47 am

    This looks like a perfect dish! Thanks fir sharing.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      July 30, 2017 at 6:37 am

      Thank you. 🙂

      Dan

      Reply
  10. Ellen Taylor says

    August 19, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    Hey Dan,
    Looks yummy, delicious and spicy. And perfect dish for lunch. Going to try it soon.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      October 17, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      Great to hear. Thanks Ellen

      Dan

      Reply
  11. Steve says

    January 11, 2018 at 11:45 am

    Hi Dan,
    Great book by the way

    At a push could any other flour be used if I have no rice flour?

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      January 22, 2018 at 12:08 pm

      Hi Steve

      Yes. Use corn starch (corn flour). It works really well.

      Thanks,
      Dan

      Reply
  12. susan says

    January 16, 2018 at 6:45 am

    do you recommend frying.. will the oven be as good ??

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      January 22, 2018 at 12:27 pm

      Hi Susan

      I do recommend frying but a healthier version could be done in the oven. As with most healthier version, they aren’t quite as good as the original. 🙂

      Dan

      Reply
  13. Jennifer Salvo says

    May 27, 2018 at 4:22 pm

    Hey Dan,
    Thanks for great share.
    Your chicken 65 recipes Look very spicy. Instructions are so clear. I’ll try this soon and hope he’ll like it.

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      January 14, 2019 at 10:43 pm

      Great to hear Jennifer. Hope you enjoy the recipe.

      Dan

      Reply
  14. Kim r says

    January 10, 2021 at 7:14 pm

    Beautiful a little spice but mm tases great

    Reply
    • Dan Toombs says

      January 11, 2021 at 9:29 am

      Thanks, reduce the chillies if you want less spice.
      Thanks
      Dan

      Reply

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