Top 5 Southern Indian Chicken Dishes

Chicken 65 is a classic poultry dish with origins in Chennai, India. It consists of deep-fried chicken that is marinated in ginger, lemon, red chiles, and a variety of other spices. There are a few theories about the origin of chicken 65. The most popular theory says that it was created in Tamil Nadu by A. M. Buhari in 1965. Another one says that the original dish was made with 65 hot chili peppers, as a testament of manliness. There are also some unlikely theories, such as the one claiming that the chicken was cut into 65 pieces, or that the chicken was 65 days old when the dish was prepared. Due to the dish's popularity, there are numerous variations, and each South Indian state has its own version. In Karnataka, the dish is garnished with grated coconut, and in Andhra Pradesh, the chicken is cooked instead of fried. Chicken 65 is commonly served with hot, red chutneys.Expand

Originating from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, Chettinad kozhi is a traditional curry dish prepared with chicken as the main ingredient. The meat is marinated in turmeric, yogurt, and a paste that's made with a combination of coconut, red chili peppers, cumin, coriander, poppy seeds, tomatoes, black pepper, fennel, onions, garlic, lemon juice, and oil. Once done, this spicy curry is served garnished with curry leaves or coriander leaves. It's usually accompanied by paratha or boiled rice on the side. Chettinad kozhi is often made for special occasions in the area.Expand

Malabar chicken biryani is a special style of biryani that originates from the Malabar region in India's state of Kerala, located along the country's southwestern coast. What's really special about it is the use of aromatic, short-grain rice kaima, which provides a distinctive texture and taste. The chicken in this biryani is marinated in spices and dahi, infusing it with a deep, succulent flavor. The blend of aromatic spices like star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds gives this biryani its unique, mildly sweet profile. Malabar chicken biryani is traditionally prepared "dum" style, which involves layering partially cooked rice and marinated chicken in a pot, sealing it, and then letting it slow-cook over a low flame. This method allows all the flavors to permeate the rice, resulting in an incredibly aromatic dish. The dish is served with raita or pickles.Expand

Kozhi curry is a traditional curry originating from Kerala. The stew is made with a combination of chicken pieces (marinated in chili powder and salt), onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chili peppers, coriander powder, chicken masala powder, curry leaves, coconut oil, coconut milk, and turmeric powder. The ingredients are slowly cooked in coconut milk until tender and the gravy develops a reddish color, and the curry is then served hot. It's recommended to accompany the dish with steamed rice, paratha, or roti on the side.Expand

Varuval is a traditional dish originating from Chettinad. It consists of spicy dry-fried pieces of chicken such as breasts or drumsticks. In order to prepare it, the masala spices such as cinnamon, cloves, fennel, coriander, cardamom, cumin, red chili, and black peppercorns are roasted in a pan until fragrant, then crushed or ground. The chicken pieces are marinated in a combination of turmeric and salt, then cooked with the ground masala spices, chili peppers, curry leaves, onions, ginger, garlic, and chopped tomatoes until the combination is nearly dry. Once done, varuval chicken is usually garnished with coriander leaves before serving, and it's often accompanied by paratha or rice on the side.Expand