Chakhokhbili
Chakhokhbili is a Georgian braised chicken stew whose name traces back to the word for pheasant — khokhobi — reflecting an era when the dish was made with wild game. The cooking technique is distinctively Georgian: the meat is first browned dry in a hot pot, without any oil or liquid, to deepen its flavour through direct contact with the pan. Fresh tomatoes, onion, and a blend of Georgian spices including blue fenugreek and khmeli-suneli are added in stages. Handfuls of fresh coriander and parsley stir in at the end. The stew is rich, aromatic, and slightly tangy from the tomatoes — typically served with Georgian flatbread or sulguni cheese.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1.2kg bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 4 large onions (about 600g), thinly sliced — a 1:1 onion-to-chicken ratio by weight is traditional
- 6 ripe tomatoes (about 700g), peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp khmeli-suneli (Georgian spice blend)
- 1/2 tsp ground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
- 1 tsp dried savory or marjoram
- 30g fresh coriander, leaves and stems separated, both chopped
- 20g fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (optional, for brightness)
- Georgian flatbread or any sturdy bread, to serve
How to make it
- 1Heat a heavy dry pot over medium-high heat — no oil; lay the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook for 6–8 minutes per side, until deeply golden; the chicken renders its own fat — this is the dry-brown step that defines chakhokhbili.
- 2Lift the chicken onto a plate; the pot should hold 3–4 tbsp of rendered fat — keep it.
- 3Add the sliced onions to the rendered fat; cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and soft.
- 4Stir in the bell pepper, half the garlic, the chopped coriander stems, khmeli-suneli, blue fenugreek, and savory; cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- 5Add the tomato paste and cook 2 more minutes, until it darkens; add the chopped tomatoes and return the chicken with its juices to the pot.
- 6Reduce the heat to low, cover, and braise for 35–45 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway; the chicken should be falling off the bone and the tomatoes broken down into a thick, glossy sauce.
- 7Lift the lid and simmer uncovered 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce if needed; stir in the remaining garlic, the vinegar (if using), and most of the chopped coriander leaves and parsley.
- 8Taste, adjust salt and pepper; serve hot in shallow bowls with Georgian flatbread (or any sturdy bread) to mop up the sauce; scatter the remaining herbs on top.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
