Chakhokhbili — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A rich and herby chicken stew braised in a vibrant tomato sauce loaded with fresh tarragon, cilantro, and basil, finished with a sprinkle of blue fenugreek.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
4 large onions, diced
4 ripe tomatoes, grated
2 tbsp tomato paste
Large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Large bunch fresh tarragon, chopped
Fresh basil leaves
1 tsp blue fenugreek
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
Salt and black pepper
1 hot green pepper

Instructions

1 Brown chicken pieces in butter in a heavy pot over high heat until deeply golden on all sides, then remove and set aside.
2 Add the diced onions to the pot and cook in the chicken drippings for ten minutes until soft, sweet, and deeply caramelized.
3 Stir in tomato paste and grated tomatoes, cook five minutes until the sauce thickens and deepens in color and richness.
4 Return the chicken to the pot, add the hot pepper, cover, and braise on low heat for thirty minutes until completely tender.
5 Remove the lid, stir in all the fresh herbs, garlic, and blue fenugreek, then cook uncovered five more minutes to meld flavors.
6 Serve in deep bowls with the fragrant tomato-herb sauce spooned generously over the chicken, alongside crusty Georgian bread.

Did You Know?

Chakhokhbili was originally made with pheasant — the name derives from the Georgian word khokhobi meaning pheasant — but chicken became standard over centuries.