Chicken/Kozhi Nirachathu(Stuffed Chicken) is a popular dish among Malabar Muslims, which they usually serve on their festive occasions. It’s traditionally prepared in clay-pot in conventional stove top. The dish I share here is the blend of this traditional preparation using the oven safe clay-pot, in oven. The preparation is very healthy and by choosing right ingredients, you can make it a perfect one dish meal to serve on festival occasions.

Ingredients 

1. Whole chicken : ~ 2.5 Kg

For marinating:-

2. Chilli powder : 2 Tbl-sp
3. Pepper powder  : 2 T sp
4. Turmeric powder  : ¼ T-sp
5. Ginger paste : 1-Tbl sp
6. Garlic paste             :1.5 Tbl-sp
7. Oil  :1 Tbl-sp
8. Lemon juice :1
9. Yogurt : ¼ Cup
10. Garam masla  : ½ T-sp
11. Salt for taste

For masala :-

12. Onion chopped( big)  : 1
13. Tomato chopped (big) : 1
14. Ginger garlic paste  : 2 T- sp
15. Bell pepper ( medium) : 2
16. Chilli powder : 1 Tbl-sp
17. Turmeric powder  : ¼ T- sp
18. Oil  : 1 Tbl-sp
19. Coconut milk  : ¼ Cup
20. Salt for taste
21. Boiled Egg : 3

Method

• Soak the clay cooker into the water for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the skin from the chicken and clean it well.
• Make deep gashes on the chicken, especially in the thick part like breast and thighs.
• In a bowl add all the marinating ingredients and make a paste using enough water.
• Brush the masala paste into the chicken , covering it well.
• Rest it for  minimum 2-3 hours into the fridge. Overnight will give the chicken more taste.

• In a pan add the oil and sauté the onions along with ginger garlic paste and salt.
• Once the onions became transparent, add the tomatoes and cook it until smashed.
• Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry it for about 1 minute.
• Then add the chopped bell pepper and pour the coconut milk .
• Close the lid and cook it until the bell pepper is cooked.
• Open the lid and dry any excess liquid to make it a dry masala.
• Add the boiled eggs to the masala and mix well.

• Take some masala and eggs and fill it into the chicken
• Finally tie the legs of the chicken together .

Baking:

• Grease the clay cooker with oil, keep the chicken into the cooker and fill some masalas into the sides of the cooker and close it with the lid.
• Keep the clay cooker into the oven and set the oven into bake 425 Fahrenheit (DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN) .
• Bake it for about 1.15 hours.
• Then open the lid and bake it for about 15 minutes.
• Take out the cooker from the oven.

Tips:

• Chilli powder and oil quantity may be varied to individual taste.
• Soaking the clay cooker is very important, otherwise it will break. Do not preheat the oven . The clay cooker will heat gradually, otherwise cooker will break.
• To make it a complete one pot meal, you may add some boiled small potatoes to the sides along with the masala.