Shkmeruli (Georgian Chicken in Garlic Milk Sauce)
Local name: შქმერული
In short: Golden pan-fried chicken simmered in a creamy sauce of milk and a whole head of garlic, finished with fresh herbs, from Georgian home cooking. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 620 kcal
Shkmeruli is chicken fried until golden, then finished in a thick sauce of milk and a lot of garlic. The garlic is the point: a whole head goes into the pan, and the sauce turns mellow and creamy as it reduces. It is traditionally served sizzling in the clay pan it was cooked in, with plain bread or mchadi for mopping up the sauce. Eat it hot.
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt and pepper. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, then chop them roughly.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken skin-side down for 8 minutes, then turn and brown the other side for 5 minutes.
- Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the fat. Lower the heat to medium and scatter the garlic around the chicken. Stir for 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the milk and cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for 20 minutes, turning the chicken once.
- Uncover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon and the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of a thigh.
- Taste and adjust the salt. Scatter with the herbs and serve at once, with bread or mchadi for the sauce.
Tips
- Keep the heat at a gentle simmer once the milk is in. A hard boil can make the milk split, and the sauce turns grainy instead of silky.
- If the sauce is too thin at the end, simmer it longer with the lid off. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Questions and answers
Is shkmeruli the same as chicken tabaka?
They are close relatives. Tabaka is a flattened chicken fried under a weight and served with garlic and herbs, while shkmeruli is finished in a garlic milk sauce.
Can I use less garlic?
You can, but the dish is built on it. Long, gentle cooking turns the garlic sweet and mild. Start with 6 cloves if you are unsure and add more next time.
Can I make shkmeruli ahead of time?
Brown the chicken a day ahead, but make the sauce fresh. Reheat gently on low heat with a little milk and do not boil. The sauce thickens as it sits.
How long does it take to make Shkmeruli (Georgian Chicken in Garlic Milk Sauce)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Shkmeruli (Georgian Chicken in Garlic Milk Sauce)?
About 620 kcal per serving, with 42 g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrates and 46 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 620 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Fat | 46 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 800 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
