Description
Chakhokhbili is a traditional Georgian chicken stew made with tender chicken leg quarters simmered in a vibrant tomato and herb sauce, enriched with garlic, onions, and adjika paste for a flavorful and aromatic dish perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken leg quarters (legs separated from thighs, skins and bones intact)
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, lightly crushed with hands
- 10 g (¼ cup) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Seasonings & Paste
- 1 tbsp red adjika paste (a spicy Georgian chili and garlic condiment)
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- Prepare and brown the chicken: Pat the chicken dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of neutral oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook on one side until deeply browned and easily releases from the pan, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Sauté the onions: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot. Add diced onion with a pinch of salt. Sweat the onions until softened but not browned, about 5-7 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan to incorporate flavor.
- Add adjika and tomato paste: Stir in the red adjika paste and tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly in color.
- Incorporate garlic: Add minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds just until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Add tomatoes and chicken: Add the crushed whole peeled tomatoes along with their juice. Stir to combine with the onion and adjika mixture. Return all chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the pot, nestling them well into the sauce.
- Simmer the stew: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the chicken until tender and the sauce is rich and deeply flavored, approximately 45 minutes.
- Add cilantro and finish: Remove the chicken from the pot. Stir in chopped cilantro and cook the sauce for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Portion chicken onto plates and spoon the sauce generously over the top. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Adjika paste can be found in Eastern European or specialty stores, or you can substitute with a mixture of chili paste and garlic.
- For a lighter option, skin the chicken before cooking.
- You can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned if in season, about 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the luscious sauce.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Georgian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1 chicken leg quarter with sauce)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
