Georgian Chakhokhbili Chicken and Tomato Stew

About This Recipe

Chakhokhbili, originally made with pheasant or other game birds (its name derives from the Georgian word for pheasant), has become a widely cooked chicken stew across Georgia, built entirely on fresh tomatoes rather than any tomato paste shortcuts, cooked down slowly until they collapse into a thick, deeply flavored sauce. No oil is added beyond what renders from the chicken itself, keeping the dish lighter than many other Georgian meat stews. The defining feature of chakhokhbili is its generous handful of fresh herbs — cilantro and basil in particular — stirred in toward the end of cooking rather than at the start, so their flavor stays bright and green against the deeply cooked tomato base. Garlic is used liberally, and a pinch of dried marigold (imeretian saffron) adds the same subtle, earthy warmth found across other Georgian stews. The chicken should be cooked bone-in for maximum flavor, simmered gently until it's falling-off-the-bone tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, spoonable consistency without needing any thickener beyond the natural pectin in the tomatoes. Served with warm bread for scooping, chakhokhbili is considered one of the more approachable, everyday Georgian stews.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.2 kgbone-in chicken pieces
• 2onions(sliced)
• 1 kgripe tomatoes(chopped, or 800g crushed tomatoes)
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1hot green chile(chopped, optional)
• 0.5 tspdried marigold petals (imeretian saffron)(optional)
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.75 cupchopped cilantro
• 0.5 cupchopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Brown chicken pieces in a dry, heavy pot over medium-high heat, rendering some fat, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the onions

   Remove the chicken. Add onions to the same pot and cook in the rendered fat until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Build the tomato base

   Return the chicken to the pot with tomatoes, garlic, green chile, marigold, salt and pepper. Stir well.

   Use genuinely ripe, in-season tomatoes if possible — the whole sauce depends on their natural sweetness and body, with no tomato paste to compensate.

4. 4

   Simmer slowly

   Cover and simmer over low heat 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has thickened substantially.

5. 5

   Finish with herbs

   Stir in most of the cilantro and basil in the last 5 minutes, reserving a little for garnish. Adjust salt to taste and serve hot with bread.

Variations

• •

  Use canned crushed tomatoes in the off-season, adding a pinch of sugar if they taste overly acidic.

• •

  Make it with turkey instead of chicken, a common substitution in some Georgian households.

• •

  Add a splash of dry white wine to the pot when browning the onions for extra depth.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavor improves overnight as the herbs and tomato meld further. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions