As the Georgians say, there are so many villages in Georgia, there are so many chakhokhbili recipes. And every chef claims to have the best recipe. So, we have the most delicious recipe. It was brought from the very heart of Georgia.
Trim the chicken, removing excess fat and tail. Set the trimmed fat aside. Cut the chicken into medium-sized pieces.
Remove the stalk from each tomato and make shallow cross-shaped cuts through the skin. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water (100°C / 212°F) for 30-40 seconds using a fork to hold them. Remove the skin. Cut the tomatoes into medium cubes.
Cut each onion in half lengthwise. Slice into thin pieces.
Heat the reserved chicken fat and 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Stir in the butter. Remove any remaining pieces of chicken fat from the pan.
Bring 200 ml water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the plums. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Press the cooked plums through a sieve and return the cooking water to the puree.
Slice the garlic thinly. Chop the cilantro leaves and soft stems finely.
Heat enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add a pinch of coarse salt and place the bone-in chicken pieces in the pot. Fry for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Season lightly with salt and the 5-pepper mix.
Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Fry together with the bone-in pieces for 3-4 minutes more. Season again with salt and the 5-pepper mix. Pour in the 100 ml dry white wine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomato cubes to the pot and mix thoroughly. Cover, increase heat to medium, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp utskho-suneli.
Add the cooked onion mixture and stir well. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the plum puree and mix. Cover and simmer for 6-7 minutes more. Season with the hot red pepper and salt to taste.
Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the sliced garlic and chopped cilantro. Mix thoroughly. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.