Chicken 65 and Mint Rice
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 Mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Yield: 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
- Chicken thighs, 1 lb, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- Neutral oil, as needed for pan-frying
- Daawat Ultima basmati rice, 1 cup
- Ghee or neutral oil, 1 tablespoon
- Fresh mint leaves, 1/2 cup, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup, finely chopped
- Green chili, 1/2, very finely minced
- Marinade ingredients
- Plain yogurt, 1/3 cup
- Garlic-Garlic paste, 2 tbsp
- Green chili, 1, finely minced
- Kashmiri chili powder, 2 tsp
- Coriander powder, 2 tsp
- Garam masala, 1 tsp
- Black peppercorns, 1/tsp, coarse ground
- Turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt, 1 tsp
- Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
- Cornstarch, 1 tablespoon
- Garnishes
- Green chutney, for serving
- Red onion, sliced into rounds
- Cucumber, sliced into rounds
- Tomato, sliced into rounds
- Curry leaves, fried or fresh
Cook:
- In a bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear and soak for 15–20 minutes. Drain well. Add the rice, water, and 1 tsp salt to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 12 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork. Drizzle with ghee or oil, then fold in the chopped mint, cilantro, and minced green chili. Keep warm.
- Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Pan-fry the marinated chicken in batches, spreading it into an even layer. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden with lightly charred edges.
- Spread the rice across a wide platter and arrange the chicken along one side or on top of the rice. Serve with chutney and sliced onion, cucumber, and tomato on the side. Optional: Sprinkle with fried curry leaves or fan a few sprigs of fresh leaves on the side.