Unbreaded Spicy Fried Chicken

I know you are just as shocked as I am at how fast this year is melting by! Like, what is time??? But at the same time, it has been a relatively good year for me. At the start of the year, I declared 2026 to be my Year of Return. Return to happiness. Return to freedom. Return to everything that makes me, me. Most of my growth has been internal, and I have made great strides when it comes to returning to the highest version of myself. And boy, doesn’t it feel so damn good to feel like myself again?!! I feel strong. I feel excited. I feel connected. I feel determined. And for the recently begun second half of the 2026, I pray for greater fortitude, warmer joy and surer strides!

And to color your already wonderful day, I would like to share this wonderful fried chicken thigh recipe. It is similar to this one I shared in 2015 (again, where has all the time flown to??!), but slightly different. It is easy to make, juicy, delicious and slightly cuts down on caloric count by eliminating the breading but still delivering on flavor. Let us make some bomb chicken thighs!!!

PREP TIME: 12 hr COOK TIME: 40 min SERVES: 4

Ingredients

To marinate:

1.2 kg (4 pieces) of chicken thigh (both thigh and drumstick)

4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

6 sprigs of fresh thyme

5 sprigs of rosemary

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of minced ginger

To season:

2 packets of Shalimar seasoning

Method

For this recipe, you can use any chicken part or a mix of several. I chose to go with the full thigh (meaning both the drumstick and the thigh), which I always find super tender and delicious! Before prep starts, be sure to slit the flesh so that the marination ingredients are exposed to a larger surface area to work on, and, to offer a better visual once the chicken is cooked.

As always, we start most meat dishes with a lush marination. As I explained on Twitter, marination is an important step as it imparts flavor into the meat itself. It is a very simple step but one that elevates the flavor profile by miles. Place your chicken into a bowl. Add in all the marination ingredients and mix.

I chose to use balsamic vinegar for this because I love its rich flavor notes. You can use any type of vinegar you have, except white vinegar. White vinegar is too sharp and lacks additional layer of flavor making it pale in comparison to other vinegars’ fullness.

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Cover and allow your chicken to marinate overnight. (Side note and kinda related: ALL things that go in your fridge MUST always be covered either in snug, well-lidded containers or with tightly fitted clingfilm. Do not put things loose as you will not sufficiently preserve their integrity, risk cross contamination and encourage varied smells to get absorbed by both the fridge and the food you have in it)

After the 12-hour marination, we will start the cooking process. There are two ways you can do this: season and fry directly OR parboil, then season, then flash-fry. We are gonna do the second method. You must be familiar with it if you have been my long-time reader, as it is the method my mom taught us and one I shared with you over the years. Recently, it is also the same method that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, explored on this episode of her show. She was a bit sceptical about it, but after it went down, she saw how great it is. So, to you too, if you are sceptical, trust me on this one. It is a fantastic technique!

Place the marinated chicken into your sufuria along with all the marination bits and juices, pour in some water (or stock) until halfway covered and allow the chicken to boil until super tender.

The time it takes for the chicken to cook will vary according to the part (less time if you use wings) and the size of said part (smaller thighs will take less time than large full-thighs), therefore, please apply your own judgment to adjust the time. As a general rule, when the flesh starts pulling away from the bone, it should be done.

Once done, remove from the heat (as I explained in the video, save any remaining liquid for a gravy), and set aside.

Now, for the home stretch! Let us season and flash-fry.

The spice blend I chose to go with, which has been a long-time favourite of mine, is Shalimar’s Chicken Spice blend. It is a spice blend that has about 8 spices, perfectly blended, that offers you the convenience of flavor in one pack, and also imparts a gorgeous color onto your chicken. I do allow you liberty to choose any other mix you like, but if you can get your hands on this, please always make sure your pantry has some packs stocked!

While the packed suggests that we use this as a dry rub, I prefer to slather it on as a thick paste as I find that it sticks better. Mix the spice blend with some water until you get this thick paste (see video for the consistency). Then, dip the chicken into the paste and proceed to flash-fry.

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Flash-frying means having it in the hot oil for about 2-3 minutes, just to bind the seasoning. The time is brief because the chicken is already cooked and we do not want to dry it out.

This unbreaded fried chicken will scratch that fried chicken itch at slightly fewer calories because the breadcrumb/flour coating is not included here. This is not to bash or demonise coated fried chicken, but rather, to present an equally delicious option that brings unique qualities but equal enjoyment to the table.

Once that is done, serve. Doesn’t this look fantastic?

Super tender, uber juicy and explosively flavorful! This has grown from a childhood favourite of mine and has become a regular in my own home with a few twists of mine, and I hope it becomes a regular in yours as well 💛.

You can taste the rich, herbaceous marinade, and the bold flavor it imparts on the meat is palpable. Beyond taste, the marinade also softened the chicken, and you can really appreciate that by how easily it falls apart. The rich flavor of the shalimar seasoning made this such a mouthwatering experience and truly unforgettable to have.

You can serve these unbreaded fried chicken thighs with truly anything; your mood will determine the choice. Think ugali and creamy managu. Or potato wedges and some kachumbari. Or with some fried rice and broccoli. And they would also go very well with my nduma fries and roasted carrots. Whichever direction you choose to go, you are for sure gonna enjoy them!!

I look forward to seeing you enjoy this. I am even more excited to have you snap a pic and share with me once you do! I love to see your masterpieces. Please spare a couple of minutes and pass by my channel for the complimentary video. It is a wonderful visual walkthrough which I am sure you will enjoy just as you have this write-up.

Have a great Wednesday 💛!