Chicken 65 (Oven-Baked HP)

About this recipe

Chicken 65 is the bright-red bar snack of South Indian restaurants, and half the legend is the mystery of the name—table 65, the 65th item on the menu, a 1965 origin story. No one really knows, and that's exactly the charm. What matters is that it's crispy-coated chicken with a layered spice hit, and we're baking it instead of deep-frying, which means you get that craggy, crunchy exterior without an oil bath. The rice flour in the coating is crucial—it creates a delicate, shatterable crust that deep-fried versions can't achieve. Combined with corn flour for extra crispness and yogurt to bind it all, the marinade coats each cube in a pale mixture that turns fiery red from the Kashmiri chillies. Unlike the restaurant version, which relies on oil to cook the flour, the oven's dry heat crisps the coating while keeping the chicken breast inside impossibly juicy. Garam masala and ginger-garlic paste build the flavour base, but it's the curry leaf tempering at the very end—quickly tossed through hot oil in a wok—that transforms it from baked chicken into Chicken 65. The technique matters here: don't skip the marinating time. While 30 minutes works, a full hour lets the yogurt proteins break down the chicken fibres, keeping them tender even at higher temperatures. Marinate overnight if you have the time. When you bake, spread the chicken in a single layer on foil and brush it with oil—this helps the coating brown and prevents sticking without flipping. The edges should char dark and crispy, almost craggy. The final toss in the curry leaf oil should happen just before serving, so the heat from the chicken wilts the leaves and the oil clings to every surface. Serve it the second it's tossed, with raw onion slices and lemon wedges. It pairs beautifully with biryani if you're serving it at a feast, but it's really best as a standalone snack—crispy, spiced, and finished while the coating is still shattering under your teeth. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days; reheat gently in the oven to restore some crispness.