Looking for a new roasted chicken recipe? You will love this simple chicken tabaka, Georgian (formerly of the Soviet Union) national dish of pan-fried whole chicken because it's a fantastic way to cook a whole chicken quickly.
Best of all, it has a great flavor and a crispy golden skin.
What is Tabaka?
Tabaka is traditionally pressed down with heavy bricks and either grilled over hot coals or pan-fried in tapha, a heavy cast-iron skillet, but if you don't have bricks just laying around (does anybody?), use anything heavy to weigh the chicken down.
A pot full of water, a plate with cans of food, a rock....anything goes. The chicken is cooked quickly to sear and crisp the skin but ensures the meat is tender and juicy inside.
The smaller the chicken the better the dish. I don't question the science, I just obey. You can use Cornish hens, or chicken legs unless you have a gigantic pan to fit a bigger bird.
Georgian way of serving the tabaka chicken is with a generous dose of plum sauce called Tkemali and with rice. Flavored rice like djuvec rice or jollof rice would go great with the tabaka chicken.
This recipe is supposed to feed four people, but my husband and I have a good appetite. Granted, we forgot all about the rice, although I cooked it. It may have been intentional, I won't admit.
Tabaka is the kind of chicken you eat with your hands, starting with the crispy skin, licking your fingers clean, and leaving nothing behind but the bare bones. It's the kind of chicken you want to hide from your husband so you can have it all to yourself, but you kind of like him and so you share.
As a matter of fact, tabaka is a great dish to share with people you like.
How to Make Georgian Crispy Chicken Tabaka:
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken. With a sharp knife, slice down the middle of the breastbone, to separate the rib cage (backbone should remain in one piece), then using strong kitchen shears cut the breastbone from the chicken. Open the chicken up like a book and press down on the backbone to flatten the carcass.
- Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mix together the lemon juice and spices. Rub the lemon- spice mixture all over the chicken.
- Heat a large skillet with the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side up. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Place a heavy cast-iron skillet or any type of skillet on top of the chicken and weigh it down with cans of food, bricks, rocks, or anything heavy. (. (I placed a pot filled with water on my chicken and then set a cast-iron skillet with a lid on top of the pot). ). Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the weight and carefully flip chicken skin side down; distribute crushed garlic cloves evenly around it. Fry for 15-20 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy brown. Discard the garlic cloves.
- Depending on the size of your chicken, keep turning and cooking the chicken for additional 10-15 minutes if necessary. The chicken is done when you pierce it into the thickest part and its juices run clear.
- Serve with Tkemali sauce and the side course of your choice.
Pan-Fried Crispy Chicken Tabaka
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium chicken, or 2 Cornish hen or 4 chicken leg quarters
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric, optional
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 4 tablespoon oil, divided
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken. With a sharp knife, slice down the middle of the breastbone, to separate the rib cage (backbone should remain in one piece), then using strong kitchen shears cut the breastbone from the chicken. Open the chicken up like a book and press down on the backbone to flatten the carcass.
- Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mix together the lemon juice and spices. Rub the lemon- spice mixture all over the chicken.
- Heat a large skillet with the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side up. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment or wax paper (you can also use a heat-resistant plate). Place a heavy cast iron skillet or any type of skillet on top of the chicken and weigh it down with cans of food, bricks, rocks or anything heavy. (I placed a pot filled with water on my chicken and then set a cast iron skillet with a lid on top of the pot). Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the weight and carefully flip chicken skin side down; distribute crushed garlic cloves evenly around it. Fry for 15-20 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy brown. Discard the garlic cloves.
- Depending on the size of your chicken, keep turning and cooking the chicken for additional 10-15 minutes if necessary. The chicken is done when you pierce it into the thickest part and its juices run clear.
- Serve with Tkemali sauce and the side course of your choice.
Robin Gettleson says
Do you cover the chicken with the weights after you flip it over, or just when you cook it skin side up? I am making it now and when I flipped it, there is quite a lot of liquid in the pan. I'm not sure whether to leave it uncovered and let the liquid cook off or to still have the weighted pan on top pressing it down? I'm really excited to eat it, my kitchen smells amazing right now!
Jas says
Robin, I keep the weights on as long as it cooks.
Pam Gray says
I have a glass top stove, and only cooked the Cornish game hens for 15 minutes per side, but med-hi heat burned them. Maybe med-low would be a better idea. I guess it depends on the stove. I haven't fried anything in decades, so maybe I would have known better if I'd had more practice frying. Used cast iron skillet with 10 pound lead weights (old SCUBA weights) on smaller frying pans that just for perfectly inside the skillets. I will try it again, but alert for that burning flesh smell next time (the vent hood was sucking it away pretty efficiently), at a much lower temp. It's hard to see what's going on in the skillet (I'm used to sauteing so I can see what is going on).
Jas says
Oh, I also have a glass top stove, and as you can see it turned out perfect. Perhaps, just like ovens, the stovetop's temps might vary too. It was a while since I made it, so I'll make sure to redo and add all the details. Thanks for letting me know. Btw, I love that you used your SCUBA weights! 🙂
Debbie says
I used lime because I had no lemon, it was delicious. I I didn't have any sauce, but didn't miss it. It was absolutely delicious. Also, I made a butter, mushroom rice and it paired just right with the chicken. Thanks for this great recipe !
Jas says
I am so happy to read this, Debbie! Isn't it funny how a seemingly simple recipe turns out delicious? I was stunned when I first made it. Thanks for giving it a try, stopping in, and giving it a 5-star review. Truly appreciate it! 😀
Sandra L Garth says
It just so happens that hubby has some breaks behind the shed. This looks amazing and the more crispy skin the better!
Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story and we hope you will join us again next week.
Jas says
Well, lucky you, Sandra! 😀 We have no bricks, just some large rocks that are too heavy anyway. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Donna @ Modern on Monticello says
I have never heard of this but you certainly make it look and sound yummy. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
Jas says
Thank you much, Donna!
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
I love that your recipe is so simple, Jas. This chicken looks so pretty - I am sure it's so delicious. Now, I need to get myself a serving or two. 😀 Happy Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Jhuls, I didn't have high expectations, however, this chicken recipe surprised me. I was afraid I'd have to finish baking in the oven, but it was perfectly cooked in the pan. Thanks for stopping by!
Mimi says
Just gorgeous! I used to have a clay mattone that I loved cooking whole chickens in, because it had a weighted flat lid, but the bottom broke. I’d love to find one again because it was so handy. Love your recipe!
Jas says
Oh, that would be a perfect dish for this recipe. Hope you'll be able to find a replacement 🙂 Thank you, Mimi!
Antonia says
Great looking chicken! Thanks for sharing over at Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Many thanks!