Georgian Chicken Chkmeruli in Creamy Garlic Sauce

Incomparably tasty, original, for a festive table! Chkmeruli in Georgian is chicken in creamy garlic sauce, baked in the oven. It turns out deliciously juicy, very aromatic, with a bright, memorable taste. I was afraid that I wouldn’t succeed, but everything turned out to be surprisingly simple!
cook time: 1h 20 min
Freya Ashford
Georgian Chicken Chkmeruli in Creamy Garlic Sauce

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

264
Calories
20g
Fat
2g
Carbs
13g
Protein

Ingredients (4 portions)

Basic:

Garlic 4 clove
Salt 1 tsp
Vegetable oil 2 tbsp
Khmeli-suneli to taste
Cream (fat content 15-20%) 350 ml
Chicken 0.8 kg
Green cilantro (or parsley) 40 g

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to make chkmeruli in Georgian? Prepare all the necessary ingredients. It is advisable to buy chilled chicken, since it is difficult to judge the freshness and quality of the meat from a frozen carcass. It should be light pink in color with a neutral odor. In the classic recipe, cilantro is added. In our country, cilantro is rarely found on sale, so I take parsley instead.

Step 2

Step 2
If the chicken is frozen, defrost it in advance. Then rinse under running water, remove the entrails and feathers, if any. Turn the carcass over onto its back and cut first in the middle of the chest, without touching the back. Then beat it lightly with a hammer to make the pieces more even. Cut along the back into 2 halves. And then each into 3-4 parts. I made chkmeruli from half a chicken.

Step 3

Step 3
Dry each piece with paper towels to reduce moisture splashes when frying. Rub with salt and spices on all sides.

Step 4

Step 4
Then brush the chicken with a small amount of vegetable oil and leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Step 5

Step 5
To fry, heat a frying pan without oil. Turn the heat to medium or higher than medium. Place the chicken pieces and fry under pressure for 15 minutes until golden brown on both sides. As a press, you can, like me, use a suitable sized pan of water. I usually place a sheet of parchment paper under the pan to keep the bottom clean.

Step 6

Step 6
While the chicken is roasting, turn on the oven to preheat to 180 degrees and prepare the sauce. Peel and rinse the garlic. Remove hard stems and limp leaves from the greens, rinse and dry. Chop the garlic and cilantro with a knife.

Step 7

Step 7
In a deep container, mix cream, garlic and herbs. You can add a little salt and suneli hops.

Step 8

Step 8
Place the fried pieces in a high-sided baking dish. I have a ceramic mold measuring 25x20 cm.

Step 9

Step 9
Pour the sauce over the chicken until it is more than half covered. If there is less sauce, you can add a little cold boiled water. Bake on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 35 minutes. Determine the exact time and temperature based on your oven.

Additional rubrics

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