Explore some of Mumbai's iconic chicken dishes at these city eateries and addas

Last month PF Changrsquos debuted in India after 300 outposts in over 20 countries in Lower Parel Known for its American Chinese and Asian fare since the 1990s the menu tweaked for desi palates including Jain patrons uses the 2000yearold method of wok cooking on a 700degree flame Those who have tucked into its fare abroad can look forward to classic original dynamite shrimp Changrsquos lettuce wraps spicy kimchi fried rice and Mongolian tenderloinWhile the first PF Changrsquos opened in 1993 in Scottsdale Arizona in the early 1960s cofounder Philip Chiang opened Mandarette which served modern adaptations of his familyrsquos traditional Chinese dishes A regular at the restaurant Paul Fleming saw potential and joined hands to create PF Changrsquos The menu today spans across Asia with recipes from Japan Korea Thailand and beyondChef Jerry ThomasWhen we visit for a launch trial two dishes intrigue us Dali chicken which offers a cuminand chilliled chicken and potatoes grill combination The second is orange chicken with tender pieces of chicken fried nuggets in a sweet and tangy orange sauce that could be a China Town discoveryJerry Thomas culinary head PF Changrsquos India says ldquoWhen it first opened chefs travelled to China to source rustic food stories The Dali chicken is a classic dish from the original menu and has roots in Mongolian cuisine It has cumin and chilli flavouring The potatoes are fried in a wok and made crispy and then chicken is folded inrdquoThe orange chicken is a balanced honeysweet and citrus tangy dish originally served at Mandarette ldquoThe food served here is fare that Chinese immigrants prepared in America Their fare remained true to its roots but expressions were with ingredients they sourced locally Even Kamling at Churchgate used to serve this dish The sauce is made with orange chilli sauce and honeyrdquo he explainsChicken bhujing FIle PicDali chicken inspires us to scour for the best most popular oldschool iconic chicken dishes in the city Our nostalgia trail commences with chicken bhujing the iconic chicken poha and potato dish with origins in Virar made famous by the Gawad family who run the 75yearold Agashi Bhujing Centre in Agashi The dish was created by its founder Babu Hari who invented bhujing as chakhnaA coastal detour leads us to Bharat ExcellenSearsquos chicken gassi and chicken Malabar Suraj Salian its owner says ldquoGassi is a traditional Mangalorean dish that comes from the coast here delicate pieces of chicken called supreme chicken are cooked in a spicy gravy with flavours of coconut milk onions and kori gassi masala paste Kori is a local word for chicken The masala has a local tamarind called kari puli and Karnatakarsquos Byadagi chilli all cooked in an earthenware pot and simmered in slow firerdquo he reveals Most ingredients are sourced from the region while the earthen pots come from Hubli Chicken Malabar on the other hand has a green gravy of pudina fenugreek coriander along with onions tomato gravy coconut milk mustard seeds and garlicHerersquos a cutandkeep guide of dishes that make these institutions iconic till dateEUROPEAN SOJOURNDali chicken right Chicken Kiev File Pics Chicken a la Kiev Chicken Kiev is a Russian cuisine showstopper with its stuffed chicken fillet that is coated with cold butter egg and bread crumbs and deepfried At Gaylord they use herbed butter and serve it with rice and diced vegetablesAT Gaylord Mayfair Building VN Road ChurchgateTIME 930 am to 1130 pmCALL 22821259 Pollo ala Indian A creamy indulgence awaits with a filling serving of chicken stir fried with mushroom and bell peppers cooked increamy curried sauce and served with riceAT Cafeacute Churchill East West Court Building Colaba Causeway Apollo BunderTIME 11 am to 1130 pmCALL 9820051364DESI AND DELICIOUSOrange chicken PicsSameer Markande right Bagdadi chicken fried curry Pic CourtesyInstagram Chicken salli boti salli marghi Parsi eateries and their charm never fail to impress Despite the hurried service and multiple warningtype signboards we revisit these spaces for their wholesome homely fare On top of our list is salli boti here the creaminess of slowcooked meat is coupled with crunchy potato sticks Wash it down with Pallonjirsquos sodaAT Kyani amp Co Jer Mahal Estate 657 Jagannath Shankar Seth Road Dhobi Talao Marine LinesTIME 7 am to 7 pm Sundays 7 am to 4 pmCALL 8928616793 Kerala chicken Mallu food is a mood and the Kerala chicken is a semidry dish eaten as a snack or paired with biryani or parotta Not meant for the weakhearted this dish has all the zing to set your palate on a riotous culinary joyrideAT Hotel Kerala Deluxe No 10A Pitha Street behind Saraswati temple FortTIME 1230 pm to 12 amCALL 22042351 Bagdadi chicken fry Head here for a nofrills halt to savour a desistyle marinated fried chicken with a fried potato on the side Save room for a full meal of boti and bhuna masalaAT Bagdadi Restaurant Tulloch Road behind The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Apollo Bunder ColabaTIME 7 am to 1230 amCALL 09167237117BEST OF THE RESTChefs at work at Shalimar Hotel Chicken stew The last word in oldschool traditional Cantonese fare for the last 70plus years Baba Ling sticks to the agenda like a bossAT Lingrsquos Pavilion Building No 19 21 MB Marg near Regal Cinema Apollo Bunder ColabaTIME 1130 am to 1030 amCALL 22850023 Chicken biryani The first outpost started in Grant Road in 1973 and since then the chain has fed many biryani cravings Its founder Jaffer Bhai Mansurirsquos philosophy was to identify the right ingredients for a quality product Today it has outlets in Mahim Marine Lines and Mohammad Ali RoadAT Jafar Bhairsquos Delhi Darbar all city outletsTIME 11 am to 1 amCALL 23875698Chefs at Pritam restaurant right butter chicken from Pritam Butter chicken Pritam is credited for introducing butter chicken in Mumbai when they opened in 1942 The 80yearold institution has ustaads who have mastered the art of lending a delicately smoked flavour to the chicken from the tandoor before transferring it into the makhani gravy Originally the dish was made up solely of butter and tandoori chicken The lsquocurryrsquo culture led to the addition of makhani gravy thus rechristened as murgh makhaniAT Pritam Swami Gyan Jivandas Marg Dadar East First floor Bloom Hotel Juhu Tara Road JuhuTIME 11 am to 12 am Dadar 12 pm to 330 pm 7 pm to 1230 am JuhuCALL 85914229139372824987