Chakhokhbili

Chakhokhbili

The dish’s name was originally linked to pheasant, but today it is usually made from chicken. The pieces cook in plenty of onion and tomatoes, and the herbs go in at two stages to give both depth and a fresh aroma. No broth is needed: the chicken, onion and tomatoes make the sauce.

Prep time: 20 minutes · Cooking time: 55 minutes · Yield: 6 servings · Difficulty: easy

Start by browning with almost no oil

A wide, hot pan lets the chicken brown before it releases liquid. Work in batches and don’t move each piece right away. Browning gives the sauce a deeper flavor than cooking everything together from the start.

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

• 1.5 kg boneless chicken thighs (pargiyot) or skinless chicken legs, cut into large pieces
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 medium onions, sliced
• 1.2 kg ripe chopped tomatoes, or canned crushed tomatoes
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander and 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili, to taste
• A bunch of cilantro and a bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

In winter, good-quality canned tomatoes will give a better result than mealy tomatoes. You can use a whole chicken cut into pieces, weighing about 1.8 kg; breast cooks faster, so add it later. The dish is a meat dish and needs no butter or cream.

Method

1. Brown. Pat the chicken dry and salt it. Heat a wide pot with the oil and brown in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side. Remove.
2. Soften the onion. In the same pot, fry the onion for 10 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and spices for half a minute.
3. Reduce the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce is no longer watery.
4. Cook the chicken. Return the pieces and half the herbs, partially cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 25–35 minutes, until 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.
5. Finish. Uncover and reduce if needed. Add the vinegar and the rest of the herbs, taste and let stand 10 minutes.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

Bread or rice is not included. Using skin-on thighs can add about 100 calories per serving; chicken breast lowers the fat but dries out faster.

Variations and tips

• Don’t add water unless the sauce is about to scorch; the tomatoes and onion release enough.
• You can make it a day ahead and keep it for 4 days in the fridge.
• Cilantro is important to the character, but if you don’t like it you can increase the parsley, without claiming it is the same version.

Summary

Chakhokhbili is a chicken stew that gets its sauce from the vegetables themselves. One sixth of the pot is about 560 calories before a side. See also chakapuli and the rest of Georgian cuisine.