6 Indian dishes among the 100 Best Chicken Dishes in the World

This one is for all the chicken lovers. Chicken is often considered as a rich source of protein and other nutrients. And from Butter Chicken to Chicken Chettinad, this protein-rich meat is enjoyed in many ways across India. Celebrating the popularity of chicken, Taste Atlas recently released a list of 100 Best Chicken Dishes in the World. And the good news is, 6 Indian dishes have been mentioned in the list, defining the culinary richness of the country. Take a look at the dishes, their ranking and what makes them so unique.

This chicken dish is at 5th position. Also known as Butter Murgh Makhani, the dish originated in Delhi during the 1950s, when a man named Kundan Lal Gujral opened his restaurant called Moti Mahal, the Taste Atlas website reads. The restaurant's cooks combined leftover marinade juices with tomatoes and butter, and then stewed the tandoor-cooked chicken in it, without even knowing that they had accidentally stumbled upon one of the most loved dishes ever and a future international delicacy. With a combination of roasted meat, plenty of spices, a rich gravy made with cream, tomatoes, and butter, this dish is best accompanied by naan bread and garnished with even more butter, coriander, or green chilis.

Tandoori chicken or tandoori murgh is one of the most popular dishes in Indian cuisine, its name derived from the Persian word tannur, meaning fire. The dish consists of chicken meat that is marinated in yogurt, seasoned with tandoori masala, nutmeg, and cumin, then placed on skewers. It is a unique dish because of the way it is prepared - traditionally, it is cooked at high temperatures in cylindrical clay ovens called tandoor, resulting in succulent meat with a smokey flavor. As per the website, one popular theory suggests that it was invented by a man named Kundan Lal Gujral in his restaurant Moti Mahal (Palace of Pearls).

Also known as Murgh Tikka, it is a popular Indian dish made from marinated chicken pieces that are grilled or roasted to perfection. The word "murgh" means chicken in Hindi and Urdu, and "tikka" refers to small, boneless pieces of meat that are marinated and cooked on skewers.The chicken is typically marinated in a mixture of yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and sometimes mustard oil, which tenderizes the meat and infuses it with a rich, tangy flavor. Common spices in the marinade include turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, and paprika, which also give the dish its signature bright orange or red hue, the website reads. Murgh tikka is often served as an appetizer or snack, accompanied by mint chutney, lemon wedges, and thinly sliced onions. It can also be used as a base for other dishes, such as chicken tikka masala, where the grilled chicken pieces are simmered in a rich, creamy curry sauce.

This chicken preparation is at 38th position and is native to Chennai. It consists of deep-fried chicken that is marinated in ginger, lemon, red chiles, and a variety of other spices. According to the website, there are a few theories about the origin of chicken 65. The most popular theory says that it was created in Tamil Nadu by A. M. Buhari in 1965. Another one says that the original dish was made with 65 hot chili peppers, as a testament of manliness. There are also some unlikely theories, such as the one claiming that the chicken was cut into 65 pieces, or that the chicken was 65 days old when the dish was prepared.

Murgh rezala is a traditional curry originating from East India, and it’s especially popular in Bengal. This aromatic and rich curry is usually made with a combination of chicken, dahi, oil, ghee, cashews, poppy seeds, ginger-garlic paste, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, hot peppers, white pepper, salt, garam masala, milk, and saffron. As per the website, the cashews and poppy seeds are soaked in water and ground into a paste. The chicken is marinated in a mixture of yogurt, ginger, and garlic. The cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, and dried hot peppers are fried in ghee and oil, and the marinated chicken pieces are then added to the pan and fried over high heat.

As per the website, chicken kathi roll is a variety of kathi roll prepared with chicken as the key ingredient. It's a typical street food originating from Kolkata, consisting of flatbreads such as roti or paratha that are filled with marinated and sautéed chicken pieces. Each flatbread is first lined with an egg that's cracked on top of it before it's spread and cooked. The chicken is marinated in spices such as turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, salt, and mustard oil. Once prepared, the stuffing is mixed with sliced onions, cucumbers, grated carrots, hot chili peppers, and coriander.