Chicken Pickle

Serves 4

35 mins

365 Kcal

Chicken pickle is a savoury and sour dish, always elevating the most ordinary chicken to a new dimension. It is perfect for the bold flavour-lover who would love to try something different on their culinary adventures. It is versatile to such an extent that it is great to be enjoyed with rice and rotis or just as a snack on its own. Prepare this drooling recipe of chicken pickle as follows: Chop 500 gms of boneless chicken into small pieces and marinate in salt, turmeric powder, and lemon juice for around half an hour. Heat some oil, and pour all the marinated chicken into a pan. Continue frying until it is tender and deep-fried. Mix pickle spice mix: In another bowl, mix 2 Tbsp red chilli powder, 1 Tbsp mustard seeds, and 1 Tsp fenugreek seeds with the cooked chicken; add a Tbsp of vinegar and sugar in pinches. Coat the chicken with the mixture well. Let it cool completely, then place the chicken into a glass jar and pour some more oil into it so that it will be covered and stay fresh for a much longer time. Let the pickle sit there for at least one day to allow its flavours to grow. This chicken pickle recipe not only complements many meals but also lets you enjoy chicken in a unique and spicy form. So enjoy it with your favourite dishes, or just savour it from the jar!

Ingredients required for Chicken Pickle

1/2 kg chicken
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp turmeric powder
250 ml oil
200 gms ginger garlic paste
¾ cup red chilli powder
1 tbsp garam masala powder
4 tbsp lemon juice

Cooking steps for Chicken Pickle

1
Begin with the process of cleaning 500 gms of chicken properly.
2
Take all excess fat and skins from chicken pieces. Chickens should be cleaned free of any unwanted dirt, and they should be allowed to sit under cold running water.
3
After you have cleaned the pieces of chicken, ensure that you drain excess water entirely from the chicken by making it sit in a colander or by drying out the chicken using paper towels.
4
Doing this will allow the absorption of flavours and fry evenly.
5
Once you have drawn out most of the water from the chicken, chop it into small pieces.
6
Chopping the chicken breaks the fibres properly so the meat can soak in the spices evenly and ensures that the fry will be even.
7
Put the chicken pieces in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and 1 Tsp turmeric powder.
8
Two ingredients are required for marination: Turmeric gives an infused flavour and colour to the chicken and acts as a natural preservative; Salt helps in tenderising the meat.
9
Cover the bowl using a cover and let it marinate for at least an hour.
10
Letting it marinate this long allows the marinade to penetrate the chicken, providing the chicken with a deep flavour.
11
Heat 250 gms of oil in a big deep pan or kadai. The amount of oil used has to be proportional to the amount of chicken to be fried.
12
Sufficient oil must be used so that the chicken pieces do not stick to the sides of the pan while getting fried.
13
Put the marinated chicken pieces gently in batches; do not overcrowd them.
14
The chicken fries evenly when it changes its colour to a golden brown, and this takes about 8-10 minutes to deep fry. Stir occasionally to fry evenly.
15
Once you fry the chicken, take it out into a resting bowl. It must be crispy on the outside but cooked inside.
16
In the remaining oil used for frying the chicken, add freshly made ginger-garlic paste of about 2-3 tablespoons.
17
Fry the paste in medium heat till the raw smell is lost and turns out to a light golden brown colour.
18
This will take around 3-4 minutes.
19
The ginger-garlic paste forms the flavour base of the pickle, and frying it properly will ensure there is no chance of bitterness.
20
Add the cooked ginger-garlic paste to the pan and put all the fried chicken pieces back into it.
21
Add salt to taste, then add 1 Tsp of turmeric powder and 2-3 Tbsp of red chilli powder according to how hot you want it to be.
22
Mix the pieces of chicken real well so that all pieces are coated with the spices.
23
If you want a milder pickle, adjust the quantity of red chilli powder according to your preference.
24
Add the spices to the dish for 2-3 minutes more by stewing the meat so that it infuses well into the meat.
25
Stir at frequent intervals to avoid burning and distribute evenly.
26
While frying the chicken, extract juice from 3-4 lemons. The acidity of the lemon juice will give a tangy bite to the pickle and negate the spiciness of chilli powder.
27
Do not forget to add a pinch of salt while extracting lemon juice so that it doesn't turn sour.
28
Once the chicken cooks well in its spices, please turn off the heat and add lemon juice to it.
29
Stir it properly so that the juice gets well mixed up with the chicken pieces.
30
Let it cool completely to room temperature before storage.
31
Then, place the cooled chicken pickle into an airtight container.
32
Allow the container to dry fully free of moisture to prevent spoilage.
33
Store it in a cool, dry place, and it will last for up to seven days.

Shop Ingredients

Turmeric Powder (2 Tbsp)

101

225

212

279

Ginger Garlic Paste (200 gms)

Garam Masala Powder (1 Tbsp)

100

109

100

Chicken (1/2 Kg)

165

247

154

249

139

222

125

260

159

239

Red Chilli Powder (¾ cup)

540

290

Oil (250 ml)

171

149

150

160

152

759

151

188

334

Salt (1 Tbsp)

110

105

107

FAQs

How long will chicken pickle stay good?

Chicken pickles are to be stored in an airtight, cool, dry container. It can last up to two weeks. It must be kept refrigerated for a longer shelf life and can be had for up to a month. It must be served with a clean spoon always so contamination and spoilage are avoided.

Can I use boneless chicken for chicken pickle?

Yes, boneless chicken can be used to make chicken pickles. These pieces absorb the spices and flavours well, and the pickle is soft and tender. One is even supposed to prefer this one more than the other bone-in variety since the bones carry with them marrow that may add to the flavours. So, it depends on your choice of food.

How spicy is a chicken pickle, and can I control the spiciness?

The amount of red chilli powder and spices added decides the spice level of the chicken pickle. For lesser spiciness, you can reduce the amount of that chilli powder or use a less spicy variety. You can also add jaggery to counterbalance the heat and overall flavour.