Indian Parsis are an extremely close-knit community, they are the direct descendants of Persian Zoroastrians who fled Iran thousands of years ago to escape religious persecution. They have since settled in India and made it their home. Parsi cuisine is a wonderful and rich blend of both Persian and Indian cuisines, cooking styles and methods. Parsi dishes are famous for their unique combinations of bold & exciting flavors.

Chicken Farcha is a traditional Parsi recipe, it’s basically Parsi fried chicken. My version has all the wonderful flavors but is baked in the oven so it’s healthier. But feel free to fry the chicken if you so prefer ☺.


CHICKEN FARCHA (Spicy Baked Parsi Chicken)

Ingredients:

8 pieces of chicken (boneless/skinless, legs & thighs work best), lightly scored
1 small onion, peeled & quartered
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled & rough chopped
2” piece of ginger, peeled & rough chopped
4-5 small green Thai chilies, to taste
5-6 fresh curry leaves
1 large handful of cilantro leaves (or mint leaves)
1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin powder
½ tbsp ground coriander powder
½ tbsp garam masala
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp rice flour
1 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tbsp oil, (vegetable or canola)

METHOD:

Using a blender or food processor, grind together the onion along with the garlic, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, cilantro leaves, paprika, ground cumin powder, ground coriander powder, garam masala & the oil into a smooth thick paste adding a little water only as needed. Now marinate the chicken with the ground spice (masala) paste, making sure it is well coated on all sides. Then cover and let marinate for 4-5 hours or longer, overnight is best.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the bread crumbs with a little salt and pepper, you can also add your favorite spices. Then combine the bread crumbs with the rice flour. Now dip each piece of chicken in the beaten egg and then directly into the bread crumbs. Roll each chicken piece in the bread crumbs making sure each piece is evenly coated on all sides. Transfer to a foil lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until completely cooked through. The chicken should be crispy and crunchy on the outside yet still moist and succulent. Serve hot as part of any Indian meal.


VARIATIONS:

You could make this recipe using chicken wings, which could then either be baked or fried.




NEWSLETTER: I invite you to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. This gives you all of the updates for the Indian Food site. Sometimes, this newsletter has additional information on recipes that are not in the articles. Fill in the blank just below the article with your email address - which is never passed on beyond this site. We will never sell or trade your personal information.