If you know me, I love to chat and even more so when I meet a fellow foodie. This happened a few years ago on my commute (yes, I’m happy to talk to anyone, anywhere, if they want to chat about food).
It was during this walk that I first discovered the world of Indian street food and, more specifically, the delicious dish known as Chicken 65. So, upon returning home, I used the computer to begin my research and discover a world of dishes I never knew existed.
How I came up with the idea for Air Fryer Chicken 65
I decided to create a convenient, air fryer version of the traditional fried chicken 65. Let’s be real, most of us now have an air fryer as our new kitchen companion.
It took several attempts to perfect the spice level and, more importantly, the coating. The goal was to get a coating that wouldn’t leak or drip in the air fryer basket, and would provide a satisfying crispy crunch.
While many recipes use a combination of corn flour with regular flour or rice flour, I initially wanted to try corn flour and rice flour because it’s the most traditional combination for getting that crispy crust. But after testing, I quickly discovered that regular flour absorbed more moisture from the yogurt marinade and chicken, resulting in a superior crispy crust.
Kashmiri chilli powder is the essential main ingredient of this recipe. It’s crucial for the reddish color and, more importantly, doesn’t have the intense heat of other chili powders. This means you can use a generous amount for color without making the dish too spicy and without feeling like your mouth is on fire.
How to Get a Crispier Crust on Your Chicken 65
Testing a recipe where food is cooked in batches helps me check multiple results to get the best possible result. While I was testing these batches, I was able to compare spraying the chicken with oil versus not spraying it. The result showed that when the chicken was not pulverized, it got a much crispier texture and a firmer outer crust.
Most recipes serve chicken 65 with fried chilli and curry leaves. To make this a truly air fried recipe, and because I truly despise doing dishes, I was determined to perfect adding these items to the air fryer at just the right time, to avoid needing an extra pot or pan. Who needs extra pans for washing dishes? Not me.
Note that this recipe also requires at least 6 hours of marinating. But you can marinate your chicken up to 2 days in advance. Just store it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to air fry it.
💡Tip: How to keep your chicken from sticking
A key piece of equipment that will make cleaning your air fryer basket simpler, especially if it has a rack base, is a silicone air fryer mat with holes. This prevents the chicken from sticking and significantly reduces dishwashing time. If no silicone mat is available, you can line the bottom of the basket with a small piece of parchment paper, taking care to punch holes to allow good air circulation.
What is going on in my chicken 65 air fryer? Key Ingredients
- Yogurt: I used natural Greek yogurt. The acid in yogurt keeps the chicken tender and juicy when air fried.
- Lemon juice: This adds spice to the marinade, the acid tenderizing the chicken. It also helps balance the spices and chili.
- Vegetable oil: This helps keep the chicken moist and, when air fried, helps the chicken get a crispy crust.
- Fresh curry leaves: adding a few chopped leaves to the marinade releases the oil from the leaves and gives that classic curry flavor. Plus, when you air fry the strands, they get super crispy for added texture and aroma.
- Garlic and ginger: it’s the base of any good curry marinade.
- Kashmiri chilli powder: this adds a gentle warmth that is bursting with bright red color. I found that 3 teaspoons gives a little tang and a good amount of color. If you prefer it milder, use 2 teaspoons. If you can’t find Kashmiri chili powder and are using regular chili powder, use only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon, as Kashmiri chili powder is not as spicy as regular chili powder.
- Garam masala, turmeric, salt and ground black pepper: these are all bases of the spice blend which give the flavor of the marinade and the classic chicken 65.
- Chicken thigh fillets: These are perfect for the air fryer because they stay tender and moist while cooking.
- Egg white: This helps bind the flour mixture to the chicken and provides a light, crispy cracked crust that sticks.
- Cornstarch and plain flour: These flours help bind and create a crispy coating on the chicken.
- Green peppers and lemon: these are classic additions to serve with chicken 65. Use the longer green chiles and fry them in the air fryer for a spicy bite.
Want to make more Indian dishes at home? Here are 40 recipe ideas to bring the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine into your home kitchen.
Recipe, images and notes from Food Director Michelle Southan.
