Kerala Style Chicken (Baked)

 

This is a baked take on one of my favourite childhood dishes - KOZHI VARATHATHU (Fried Chicken, Kerala Style). It is a classic daily staple, traditionally fried in coconut oil and served with yoghurt, rice and vegetables. This one I have baked in the oven!

                
                    Kerala Style Chicken Wings

                                    (serves 3-4)

Adjust Servings:

🧾 Ingredients

• 1 kg of organic, free-range chicken wings/any cuts of chicken (bone and skin on for extra taste and nutrition*)

Marination:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder (adjust to preference)
• 0.5 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp Kerala style meat masala **
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste - fresh or store bought without seed oils & preservatives
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
  
  👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175C
2. Mix together dry spices and salt until well combined - cayenne, turmeric, coriander, meat masala, garam masala, black pepper and salt.
3. Add in wet ingredients - gigi paste, oil and lemon juice, to make a thick consistency.
4. Coat the wings with the delicious marinate and let it sit for atleast 2 hours, or overnight for the best results.
5. When ready to cook, cook for 45 minutes on the broiler flipping half way.
6. Once cooked, increase temperature to 200 C and broil for 5 minutes each to crisp it up!
7. Serve with inji-puli sauce (tamarind-ginger-jaggery) or fermented pickles or yoghurt to complete the meal! I eat this by itself, no accompaniments needed!

NOTES:

* Yes, chicken wings are healthy. When cooked bone on, the minerals from the bone (such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous) leach into the meat, making it more nutritious. The skin is high in healthy monounsaturated fats, and fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, K2. The skin is also quite rich in protein with a good amino-acid composition. Chicken breast is a lean meat which is very high in amino acid methionine, which in excess can become homocysteine, increasing risk of heart disease and stroke. Skin and gelatinous cuts of meat are rich in amino acid glycine which is excellent for gut and skin health!

** Kerala style meat masala is a special blend of aromatic spices:

Here is a recipe for a batch:

• 4 full tablespoons of green cardamom pods
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  3 tablespoons whole cloves
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  3 sticks or pieces of cinnamon or cassia
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  ½ cup fennel seeds
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  1 tablespoon black peppercorns
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  1 nutmeg roughly chopped

Macros ()

4 wings have around 25-30 grams of protein!

Low-carb | Gluten-free | Keto | Paleo