Kozhi Nirachathu | Malabar Style | Stuffed Chicken Recipe
Kozhi Nirachathu is a traditional and flavorful Malabar dish from Kerala, South India. It is a whole chicken dish that is marinated, stuffed, and cooked to perfection.
To prepare Kozhi Nirachathu, a whole chicken is marinated with a blend of spices, including turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. The chicken is then stuffed with a delicious mixture of onions, and spices, along with optional ingredients like nuts, raisins, or boiled eggs.
After stuffing, the chicken is typically tied with a string to keep the stuffing intact. It is then either roasted in a pan or baked in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the skin turns crispy, golden brown and further the chicken is cooked in a semi thick gravy. The flavors from the stuffing infuse into the chicken, making it rich, aromatic, and incredibly tasty.
Kozhi Nirachathu is often served as a main course dish for special occasions, festivals, or family gatherings. It pairs well with various Indian breads like parotta, roti, or rice dishes like biryani. The combination of tender chicken, flavorful spices, and the savory stuffing makes Kozhi Nirachathu a favorite among food enthusiasts who appreciate the rich and diverse flavors of Kerala cuisine.
Refer Wiki
Ingredients
- Chicken - 1 Kg (whole, de-skinned and seared)
TO MARINATE:-
- Ginger Garlic Green Chilli Paste - 2 tbsp
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tsp or more
- Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
- Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
- Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
- Lemon Juice - 3 tbsp
- Salt
FOR STUFFING:-
- Boiled Eggs - 2
- Onion - 2 (big, thinly sliced)
- Ginger Garlic Green Chilli Paste - 1 tbsp
- Tomato - 2 (chopped)
- Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder - 3/4 tsp
- Garam Masala Powder - 3/4 tsp
- Fennel Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
- Curry Masala Powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander Leaves
- Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned under "To Marinate" adding a little water to the spices making it a paste. Keep the chicken refrigerated for 2 hours or over night.
- Heat oil, saute ginger-garlic-green chilli paste for a minute, add onion and saute till color changes and 3/4th cooked. Add tomato and cook till mushy.
- Add spice powders and mix well. Add salt and mix further. Add coriander leaves and mix. The stuffing is ready.
- Now, stuff the prepared onion roast to the chicken followed by the boiled eggs at the end. Close the opening of the chicken using toothpicks and tie the legs.
- Heat a non-stick pan and place the chicken carefully into it, adding 1/4 cup of water to the chicken, cover and cook for 20 minutes on low flame, flipping the chicken on all sides to cook it thoroughly. Once the chicken is 3/4 cooked, remove the chicken carefully and reserve the stock.
- In the same pan, heat little oil and add the remaining onion roast and saute for 2 minutes. Now, add 1 cup of hot water to the chicken stock and mix well, adding it to the roast and mixing well for about a minute.
- Add the cooked chicken to the gravy and cover the chicken with it carefully. Cook the chicken for another 15 to 20 minutes, turning on all sides, every 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
