There is something about moist, succulent chicken which is oh-so-hard to resist and this deliciously bite-sized Chicken Farcha, a traditional Parsi version of fried chicken, is right up there with the best!
It is often a part of special occasion feasts due to its deep-fried decadence and usually prepared on the bone and coated in an delicious egg batter.
However today we are doing things a little different and as much as I love fried chicken this is an easier, boneless, bite-sized, healthier baked version but I promise you won’t miss the deep frying one bit because the taste is AMAZING!
I’ve used chicken breast for this recipe as it is easier to cut into cubes and there is a secret hack to ensuring succulent breast meat which I shall share with you shortly below!
This is a versatile recipe and it works as both an appetizer or as part of a main meal. Busy hostesses and mums take note - this recipe can be made a day ahead, stored in the fridge in an airtight container overnight and reheated in the grill or oven before serving.
MY TIPS
For SUPER tender chicken breasts every time, use about one teaspoon of baking soda to each breast and ensuring the baking soda covers the entire piece. Cover and set aside in the fridge for 20-25 minutes. Once the time is up, under running water THOROUGHLY rinse off all the baking soda and continue to use the chicken as you normally would in your recipe. You can use this method to tenderize your chicken for all types of cooking including baking, frying, grilling etc.
You can also use thigh meat which is a juicy cut of meat and hard to dry out
You can use this same recipe and simply shallow or deep fry the chicken until cooked if you wish
I used toasted breadcrumbs for this recipe as it is what I had on hand but you could use panko breadcrumbs instead. If you are in a time crunch you could still make these with just regular breadcrumbs though the outer texture may be slightly different. The taste will be the same though.
If you want more crunch, after baking, give the chicken a few extra minutes under the grill to crisp up even more
These bites work very well with a masala dhal, katchumbar (onion salad) and pilau/rice dishes for a complete meal
YOU WILL NEED
500g | 1 pound | 3 boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes
2 teaspoons baking soda
Chicken Marinade
2 tablespoons lemon/lime juice
2 teaspoons ginger & garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Chicken Coating
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon rice bran/olive or vegetable oil
1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
A little extra butter/oil for greasing your baking dish
METHOD
Prepare chicken
Place the cubed chicken pieces into a small mixing bowl add the baking soda and mix well to ensure the pieces are covered by the baking soda. Set aside covered in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Thoroughly rinse with water to remove all baking soda once the time is up.
Marinade
Return the chicken into your mixing bowl and add the lemon/lime juice, ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, paprika, garam masala, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper to the chicken and mix well to coat the chicken with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for about 2 hours.
Coating
Remove from the fridge and mix in the oil and butter to coat the chicken evenly.
In a separate bowl mix the toasted breadcrumbs and ground cumin.
In another small mixing bowl add the eggs, salt, pepper and chili powder.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/375°F.
Grease a large baking sheet or a glass baking dish. Alternatively you could also use baking paper to prevent sticking.
Construct an assembly line of your chicken pieces, the bread crumbs, the egg mixture and your greased/lined baking dish.
Take the bowl with the breadcrumbs and toss a few pieces of chicken at a time into the breadcrumbs and then dip into the egg mixture to make sure it is coated, shaking off any excess and place directly on the greased baking sheet/dish.
Continue process until all your chicken is used up.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a golden crust is achieved.
Serve with your favorite sauce, dip as an appetizer or as part of a main meal.
SERVES 6-8 AS AN APPETIZER/3-4 AS PART OF MAIN MEAL
Tried this recipe? Tag @eatinstylebyferitta or #eatinstylebyferitta so I can see your creations and show you some love ♥