შქმერული
Chkmeruli (Chicken in Garlic Cream) recipe
By pre-orderChkmeruli comes from the village of Shkmeri in Racha. A young chicken is flattened and fried until crisp, then finished in a sauce of milk, cream and a frankly alarming amount of garlic. It is traditionally served sizzling in a clay ketsi dish.
Not on the regular Deda menu. Want it cooked for you in Vancouver? Order it ahead for catering or a family dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 small chicken, about 1.2 kg, butterflied
- 10 to 12 cloves garlic
- 250 ml whole milk
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Fresh cilantro or dill
Method
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fry it skin side down in butter in a heavy pan, pressed under a weight, for 12 minutes.
- Turn it and fry 10 more minutes. Move it to an oven dish.
- Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt and warm it with the milk and cream. Do not let it boil.
- Pour the sauce around the chicken and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, basting once.
- Scatter herbs over and serve straight from the dish with bread for the sauce.
Tamara's tip: crush the garlic, never chop it. Crushed garlic melts into the cream; chopped garlic just floats in it.
More Georgian recipes
Ostri (Spicy Georgian Beef Stew)
By pre-orderOstri recipe: spicy Georgian beef stew with tomatoes, pickled cucumbers and garlic.
Get the recipe →
Chikhirtma (Georgian Chicken Soup)
By pre-orderChikhirtma recipe: silky Georgian chicken soup thickened with egg yolks and a touch of vinegar.
Get the recipe →
Chanakhi (Lamb and Vegetable Pot)
By pre-orderChanakhi recipe: Georgian lamb slow-baked in clay pots with eggplant, tomato, potato and herbs.
Get the recipe →