Kozhi Nirachathu (Stuffed Chicken)
Kozhi Nirachathu is a popular and traditional Malabari dish from the Indian state of Kerala. It involves stuffing a whole chicken with a spicy onion masala and then pan-frying it to perfection.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 597.78kcal
Ingredients
For Marination:
- 800 grams skinless whole chicken
- 1½ tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil sunflower or coconut oil
- salt to taste
For Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil sunflower or coconut oil
- 3 medium-sized red onions finely sliced
- 1 to 2 sprig of curry leaves
- 3 to 4 green chillies chopped finely
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 large tomato quartered (this makes it easy to fish out the skin)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder
- ½ teaspoon Malabar garam masala
- Fresh coriander leaves
- salt to taste
For Stuffing
- 1 to 2 hard-boiled eggs peeled
- ¼ cup cooking oil to roast and cook the chicken
Instructions
Marinate the whole chicken:
- Wash the chicken thoroughly under running water and then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Blot dry the cavity and remove any large traces of blood.800 grams skinless whole chicken
- Place the chicken in a shallow pan to marinate. Make a deep incision on the breast, legs, and thighs.
- Take a small mixing bowl and make a paste of the marination ingredients. Rub this marinade all over the chicken making sure to get inside the incisions. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.1½ tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, salt to taste
Prepare the Gravy Stuffing:
- Heat coconut oil in a thick-bottomed pan or Kadai that has a fitting lid and is large enough to hold the whole chicken.2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Add onions, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and garlic and sauté till the onion turns golden brown.3 medium-sized red onions, 1 to 2 sprig of curry leaves, 3 to 4 green chillies, 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- Next, add tomato and ground spices with salt and sauté on medium heat until it melts down completely - fish out the tomato skin if possible. sauté till it forms a pulpy gravy.1 large tomato, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder, salt to taste
- Finish it off with some coriander leaves and a sprinkle of malabar garam masala.½ teaspoon Malabar garam masala
Stuff the Chicken
- Place the boiled egg into the cavity of the chicken along with some portion of the prepared gravy taking care not to overstuff it.1 to 2 hard-boiled eggs
- Close the cavity with a toothpick. Tie the legs together with twine and tuck the wings.
Pot Roast the stuffed Chicken
- Heat more coconut oil in the same pan enough to cover the whole surface of the pan and add the curry leaves.¼ cup cooking oil
- Place the whole chicken carefully over the pan and roast on all sides until you see some browning. This is the make or break of the dish. You need to carefully turn the chicken on each side ensuring the stuffing is intact. So, use two spatulas to hold and turn the chicken.
- While pan-frying each side, ensure to scoop some oil and pour it over the chicken including areas between thighs, legs, and wings. Keep doing this every single time you turn the chicken.
- Close the lid and cook further to make sure that the chicken is cooked through. Keep an eye, lest it burns. Cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
- Towards the end, add the leftover gravy and close and let it cook for a few more minutes. This is the traditional method, but I serve the remaining gravy as a side.
- Switch off and serve the chicken garnished with fresh coriander leaves and drizzle lime juice. Serve warm with any Indian flatbread or rice.Fresh coriander leaves
Notes
To make this dish using oven:
Preheat the oven to 180C and bake the stuffed chicken for an hour. In the last 15 minutes, add the prepared onion masala all over the chicken and bake to finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 597.78kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.15g | Protein: 28.85g | Fat: 49.17g
