Chakhokhbili

Ingredients

• 2⅔ lbChickenwhole chicken or parts (legs, thighs), cut into serving pieces
• 14⅛ ozonionsliced into thin half-rings or diced
• 1½ lbtomatoesripe, peeled and crushed or diced; canned tomatoes as substitute
• 4 clovesgarlicfinely chopped or pounded, usually added at the end
• 1⅓ ozbuttersometimes clarified butter; often combined with vegetable oil
• 2 tbspvegetable oilrefined, sometimes olive oil
• 1 tbsptomato pastebriefly fried along, deepens the sauce
• 1 bunchcilantrogenerous amount, finely chopped, stirred in at the end
• 1 bunchbasilfresh, often red/purple basil; sometimes dried
• 1 bunchparsleyfinely chopped
• 1Chili pepperfresh in rings or ground/as flakes
• 1 tspkhmeli suneliGeorgian spice blend
• 1 tspblue fenugreektypical Georgian spice
• 1 tspCoriandersometimes seeds toasted and ground
• ½ tspground marigoldadds colour and aroma (optional)
• 1bell peppercut into strips or cubes (optional)
• 1 tspsugarbalances the acidity of the tomatoes (optional)
• 2bay leafsimmered along, removed before serving (optional)
• 1 tspadjikaspicy seasoning paste (optional)
• ¾ cupChicken brothonly if the liquid reduces too much; hot water as substitute (optional)
• ½ cupRed winepoured in during braising (optional)
• saltto taste
• black pepperfreshly ground, to taste

Method

1. Cut and season the chickenCut the chicken into serving pieces, season all over with salt and black pepper and set aside briefly.
2. Brown the chicken piecesHeat the butter and vegetable oil in a heavy pot and brown the chicken pieces all over on fairly high heat, then lift them out and keep them warm.
3. Soften the onions until goldenSlice the onions into thin half-rings or dice them and cook them in the remaining fat over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
4. Cook down the tomato baseScore the tomatoes with a cross, pour boiling water over them, slip off the skins and crush or dice them — you want them to stay noticeable as small pieces. Fry the tomato paste briefly with the onions, then add the tomatoes and let them cook down for a few minutes.
5. Add chicken and spicesReturn the chicken and any juices to the pot and stir in the khmeli suneli, blue fenugreek and ground coriander, plus ground marigold, bay leaves, the bell pepper cut into strips, a little adjika or a splash of dry red wine if you like.
6. Braise gently, coveredCover and braise over low heat for about 40 minutes, until the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened; if it gets too dry, add a little chicken broth or hot water.
7. Add garlic and fresh herbsStir in the garlic, the chili pepper and plenty of chopped cilantro, basil and parsley, and let it all sit on the heat for just two or three minutes.
8. Season and let it restSeason with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar if needed, fish out the bay leaves and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Serve piping hotServe very hot, scattered with fresh herbs, with lavash or bread alongside.

Tips and variations

Classically, the chicken goes into a dry pan without any butter or oil and browns in its own fat — worth trying at least once. You can also finish the stew covered in the oven, at 180 °C for 20–30 minutes or very slowly at 140 °C for around 2.5 hours with broth poured in. Canned chopped or puréed tomatoes stand in fine for fresh ones. If you like, season the sauce with satsebeli or tkemali. Crumbled walnuts can be stirred in as well, and beaten eggs thicken the sauce when you stir them in at the end. Tarragon, mint and dill round out the herbs. Rabbit braises just as well in place of the chicken. Serve it hot, with fresh lavash for mopping up the sauce, or with rice, buckwheat or mashed potatoes.