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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chakhokhbili (Georgian chicken and tomato stew)

Chakhokhbili is a Georgian stew of chicken thighs simmered with tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs. For 4 people, it takes about 1 hour, rates as easy, and costs around €3.10 per serving. The key is adding the herbs off the heat at the very end so they keep their color and aroma.

Tonight, Georgia comes to your pot with a chakhokhbili, tender chicken simmered with tomatoes and loaded with fresh herbs.

Chakhokhbili (Georgian chicken and tomato stew)
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Chakhokhbili is chicken that ends up falling off the bone on its own, bathed in a tomato sauce lightly spiced with paprika and sweet chili. There's no cream and no flour to thicken it, just tomato juice reducing slowly while the chicken soaks up all those flavors. The trick that changes everything is the trio of cilantro, basil, and parsley stirred in at the end, turning a simple stew into something much greener and more alive.

This is the kind of dish you put on the table on a lazy Sunday, while the pot does all the work on its own for 35 minutes. Kids get tender chicken in a sauce that isn't too spicy if you go easy on the chili, and adults get a change of scenery without hunting down hard to find ingredients. Crusty country bread for mopping up the sauce never fails to impress at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Ripe tomatoes 800 g
  • Onion 3
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Fresh basil 1 bunch
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sweet chili powder or Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in a Dutch oven with the butter, no oil needed, then set them aside.

    Start skin side down, it releases enough fat for the rest of the cooking and turns nicely crisp.

  2. In the same pot, cook the sliced onions until golden. 10 min

    Don't let them burn, overly dark onions would make the sauce bitter.

  3. Peel the blanched tomatoes, dice them, and add them with the garlic, paprika, chili, salt, and pepper.

    One minute in boiling water and the tomato skins slide right off.

  4. Put the chicken back in the pot, cover, and let it simmer gently, basting it from time to time. 35 min

    No need for water, the tomatoes release enough juice, you just need a gentle simmer.

  5. Off the heat, add all the chopped herbs, let them infuse for a few minutes, and serve with the bread.

    Keep a handful of raw herbs aside to sprinkle on top right before serving.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick tomatoes that are very ripe, almost too ripe, they release more juice and the sauce ends up tastier without needing any added water.
  • Chop the herbs at the last minute, right before adding them, they lose their aroma fast once cut ahead of time.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end of cooking, take the lid off for the last ten minutes so it reduces.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs for a faster cook time and meat that falls apart even more easily.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with grilled eggplant and zucchini chunks added at the end of cooking.
  • For kids in a hurry to eat, blend part of the tomato sauce before adding the chicken back in, it turns smoother and creamier.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for mopping sauce
  • Plain white rice
  • A fresh cucumber salad

Storage

Chakhokhbili keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the fresh herbs, which should be added after thawing. Reheat it gently in a skillet or pot over low heat so the chicken doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chakhokhbili ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the chicken and tomato sauce the day before, without the fresh herbs. Reheat gently the next day, then stir in the chopped herbs right before serving.

Can you use canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones?

Yes, in winter when fresh tomatoes lack flavor, canned chopped tomatoes work just fine. Use about 800g, which is one large can or two small ones.

Which herbs are essential for this dish?

Fresh cilantro gives chakhokhbili its identity, while basil and parsley round it out nicely. If you really dislike cilantro, double the parsley and basil instead.

Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can, but thighs work better since they handle long simmering without drying out. If you use breasts, cut the simmering time to about 20 minutes.

How long does it take to make a chakhokhbili?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chakhokhbili?

About 520 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chakhokhbili cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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