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.
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.
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 💛!
xx
– Kaluhi
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Hey there! My name is Kaluhi and I love food! Through my blog, I am happy to share with you my self-taught recipes, steeped in nostalgia and the happiest of memories. I hope each recipe you try out is as addictive as the previous one and is shared on a table full of love and hearty laughs!
Read this at noon, ordered in all the ingredients and marinated during my lunch break (don’t we just love working from home lol). Prepped them for dinner and my partner said “this had better be on the weekly rotation!!!” We both loved it!
I fully support their request!!! It is so wonderful that you both enjoyed it 🩷!
Easy 5-stars for me! I googled the shalimar ingredients and made my own spice blend with near-similar profile and it was so flavorful.
Glad that it was a hit!
I had this for dinner last night and it was very delicious. You have just introduced me to Shalimar (where have I been??) and the blend is very well balanced! Had 2 pieces for dinner, carried one with lunch today, and the last one (🥲) will be part of my supper tonight.
You know what, better late than never! It makes me happy to see how delicious this was for you!
Hey girlie!
Excited to make this over the weekend. I wanna buy ingredients today, then marrinate tomorrow.
I wanna use Malt Vinegar? Its what I have and am keen on utilising it, but also don’t wanna risk throwing off the flavors
Thanxx for you assistance and for this exciting recipe!
Hi Maria,
Yes, Malt Vinegar would work well 🩶
OMG Thank you so much for this! I usually hesitant with breaded chicken because the extra layer of carb make it too ‘caloric’ for me. And removing it eliminates all flavor because usually, the coating carries all the flavor while the meat itself carries none. I am *very* excited for this recipe that focuses on imparting flavour in the meat and seasning it well too
This won’t be a weekend recipe for me, but a foreva recipe 😋
Oh yes, thanks for pointing out that often with coated chicken, the flavor is concentrated on the coating and almost never on the meat! May you enjoy this “foreva recipe” forever!! Thank you for giving it a shot🩶!
Can I use this exact recipe with turkey drumsticks?
Turkey Drumsticks can be a little bit gamey. It can work, however you will need to boil for much longer so that they really become uber tender. While it can work with much effort, I would advise for you to stick to chicken for best results.
xx
I must say, I was abit skeptical of the technique, because as a child of the American South, we know fried chicken to always be coated. I thank god for my open mind, I tried this and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would describe it as light yet equally indulgent. Thank you for introducing me to it
I understand your skepticism; it is a normal feeling when met with something new. And kudos to your open mind for allowing you to step into what initially seemed abit iffy. I think, what makes food exciting is the million ways one thing can be prepared. I am so happy to have introduced you to a new one and thrilled it turned out so well for you!
Instead of Shalimar, I used Maya Kaimal Tikka Masala spice blend. It was wonderful! I have never marinated chicken , and let only the spices do the heavy lifting. This time I did & I wonder whyyyy it took me so long. Simple step but the boost of flavor is astronomical! Overall, this recipe has won me over!
Your substitution is perfect! M.K is a wonderful spice line and I am so happy it turned out well 🩷
Asante for this. Tried it. LOVED it
Thank you for giving it a shot 🩷
Two things:
1. Had these for dinner & they were phenomenal! Marinated before work, came back to cook in the evening and what a feast it was! Served mine with roast sweet potatoes and kachumbari
2. When I watch “WithLove, Meghan” I always imagine you’d love the show too (glad to see you do!!!!), but also, I truly see you with a show of that high calibre because you create so well, so passionately, so beautifully and you have a captivating camera presence. If yhe universe will it (it declare it has), a high level show similar to that is written in the stars for you!
Ubarikiwe sama Kaluhi!
omg 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
1. I am so happy the recipe showed out. I love love love how you served it, such a yummy plate!
2. Thank you so much for your blessings 🩷. I open my spirit to all your kind words and receive it all. It is written for me, therefor it already is.
Hallo K,
Can I make this with Kuku Kienyeji?
Unfortunately, you cannot.
Kuku Kienyeji requires a very specific technique that hinges on time investment and this one may be too speedy for it. Check out my kuku kienyeji recipe for a brilliant walk through. When you are ready to give this one a shot, buy a pack of your full-thighs (broiler) and give it a go 🩶
Making this tomorrooooooooow!! (can you tell how excited I am!)
I can defo feel the excitement and I am cheering you on 🩶🩶🩶
Swali: Visually, I enjoy having my chicken looking redish in color. No reason why really. The shalimar imparts a golden brown- yellow color – which is fine – but if I want my chicken to lean more reddish, can I add paprika to the blend? Will it throw off the other flavors?
Hey Sakina,
I totally get how one can be attached to specific visuals when it comes to certain foods. For this recipe, and for the spice blend, yes you can add in some paprika for the red tone. You can go further and use smoked paprika for a red tone and additional smokey taste which I find goes so well with meat dishes
xx
Its my daughter’s birthday on sunday (she’s turning 13 where does time go 🥲). I wanna include these in the buffet spread, can I marinate today [Friday] and cook them as prescribed Sunday morning?
Hi Koki, yes you absolutely can. Because this will be a long marination, the flavors will be really deep (that’s a good thing!), however, you need to treat this as a sensitive process so that the food safety is not compromised. Set the meat to marinate today, then put it in your fridge, snuggly covered (the bottom shelf as it is always the coldest). Tomorrow evening, give the content a mix, then cover and return back to the fridge. When you wake up on Sunday morning. Take it out of the fridge first thing, let it come up to room temp and then proceed to cook as prescribed.
Send my warmest birthday wishes to your beautiful teenager 🩷!
Just here to say I appreciate the work you do. Both* a detailed blog & a detailed video is hard work and you do both so well.
You support means the whole world to me. Thank you for acknowledging my hard work- as a Virgo sun, Cap Rising, this is the highest of compliments.
This is good!
I know the post is not about coated chicken, but, can you give us a recipe for coated chicken that also seasons the meat and the coating without going overboard? I feel like you would get the balance right
I will work on it. Thank you for trusting me!
Oh man I usually damp the juices from my boiled chicken (or other meats). Just learnt today that I can keep it & repurpose it
That liquid is pure gold!! You can use it for gravies (as I mentioned), or as stock, as foundation for your soups…It is very valuable!
Against better judgement, I made this with white vinegar. Honestly I didn’t think it was a big deal vile ulisema. And i think I added too much. The chicken was too sour – despite the seasoning, despite the herbs , dominating flavour was sourness. I shared the chicken with my cat & she struggled to eat it too. Too sour. I might bin it
Aki Wanja… Pole for your situation. But what lesson have you learnt form this?
lesson 1: white vinegar is for washing sink
lesson 2: just listen to Kaluhi ama utaharibu pesa, na time, na chakula
I’ll try it again and do it right next time
Hapo sawa, the lesson(s) landed. All the very best 🩷. Come back and tell me how it goes once you revisit
I made these last weekend (I was hosting world cup finals watch at my home) and it was a hit!!! everyone asked for the recipe, and I led them all here.
Thank you for your work!
It makes me so happy to know your guests enjoyed this recipe 🩶
I am so excited to make these! The comments from those who have are so encouraging too!
May it deliver all the flavor and all the joy!!
Can I airfry these? How do I go about it?
Hey Dianah,
After the parboil, you can skip making the spice blend into a paste and instead, rub it all over the chicken, then spray some* oil over both sides (an airfryer works best with a tiny bit of oil as opposed to none), then proceed to airfry at 180c (preheated). Because the chicken is already more or less cooked, it shouldnt stay too long in the device. About 4-5 minutes (adjust time as you see fit) on each side will be great.
Made these, and they were bomb! Next day I uad two left over – decided to shred them and used them in my ceasar salad. And it turned out to be the most full flavoured ceasar salad of my life – because I used your very flavorful chicken to begin with
Look at you go 😍!!! This is genius repurposing of the leftover thighs. And a delicious original dish always results in a delicious repurposed one. So happy you enjoyed it both ways
xx
Hi Kaluhi,
I used wings for this recipe. Used 10 wings, because I feel wings are smaller than full thigh so I added more pieces. It was very delicious & both my son and I enjoyed
Your logic on using more wings is spot on! So happy you both enjoyed!