Chakhokhbili (Georgian Chicken in Tomato and Herb Sauce)

About This Recipe

Chakhokhbili (ჩახოხბილი) is one of the most important dishes in Georgian cuisine — its name means 'pheasant dish' (from the Georgian word for pheasant, khokhobi) as the original recipe called for game birds. Today chicken is universal. What sets it apart from other tomato-braised chicken dishes is the spice blend: khmeli suneli (the Georgian spice mixture featuring blue fenugreek, which gives an intensely nutty-bitter note that is unlike anything in other cuisines) and the extraordinary generosity with fresh herbs at the end — cilantro, parsley, basil and tarragon are all added together. The result is a bright, complex, herb-saturated braise.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgchicken pieces(bone-in, skin on)
• 5tomatoes(roughly chopped, or 400g tin chopped tomatoes)
• 3onions(thinly sliced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tspkhmeli suneli spice blend(or 1 tsp fenugreek + 1 tsp coriander + 0.5 tsp turmeric)
• 1 tsppaprika
• 0.5 tspchilli flakes
• 3 tbspbutter
• 1 large bunchfresh cilantro(roughly chopped)
• 0.5 bunchfresh parsley(roughly chopped)
• 4 sprigsfresh tarragon(leaves picked)
• 3spring onions(sliced)
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry-sear chicken

   Season chicken. In a wide heavy pot with no oil, sear chicken skin-side down over high heat for 5 min until the skin releases fat and turns golden. Flip and sear 2 more min. Remove and set aside.

   Starting dry renders the chicken fat, which flavours the whole dish.

2. 2

   Soften onions

   Cook sliced onions in the chicken fat over medium heat for 10 min until soft and beginning to colour.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes and spices

   Add garlic, tomato paste, khmeli suneli, paprika and chilli. Stir 1 min. Add chopped tomatoes. Simmer 5 min.

4. 4

   Braise

   Return chicken to the pot, pushing it into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 35–40 min until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

5. 5

   Finish with herbs

   Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Add all fresh herbs and spring onions. Stir gently to wilt slightly. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Original pheasant version: substitute pheasant or quail for a more gamey result

• •

  Add green peppers with the onions for a sweeter base

• •

  Serve with mchadi (Georgian cornbread) instead of regular bread

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Add a fresh handful of herbs when reheating to restore brightness.

Frequently Asked Questions