Shkmeruli — ayam saus susu bawang putih khas Georgia
Georgia's gloriously garlicky chicken: a bird crisped golden in a hot pan, then bathed in a warm sauce of milk and a frankly heroic amount of garlic until the whole thing turns into something rich, savoury and impossible to stop eating. Shkmeruli comes from the village of Shkmeri, and the magic is the contrast — crisp chicken skin softening into a creamy, pungent, garlic-laden sauce that begs to be mopped up with bread.
Spatchcock or joint a chicken and fry it hard in a heavy pan (traditionally pressed under a weight) until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the meat is cooked. Meanwhile, crush a lot of garlic — far more than feels reasonable — and warm it gently in milk (some add a little butter or the chicken fat) without boiling, seasoning with salt. Add the crisp chicken to the warm garlic milk and let it bubble briefly so the flavours meld. Serve at once with bread to soak up the sauce.
- Crisp the chicken skin hard first — that golden crust is the contrast against the creamy sauce.
- Use a lot of garlic, warmed gently in the milk (don't boil it hard, so it stays sweet not bitter).
- Bring chicken and sauce together only briefly at the end; serve with bread to mop it up.
Equipment
- Heavy frying pan or skillet
- Small saucepan
- (Optional) press/weight
Bahan
Chicken
- 1 chicken, spatchcocked or jointed
- Salt, pepper; oil (or butter) for frying
Garlic milk sauce
- 1 whole head garlic, crushed
- 300 ml whole milk
- A little butter (optional); salt
- Pinch of chilli or coriander (optional)
Cara membuat
- LANGKAH01
Season the chicken and fry it skin-side down in a hot, heavy pan (press it flat under a weight if you can) until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, then turn and cook through, about 25–30 minutes total.
- LANGKAH02
Crush the garlic to a paste with a little salt. Warm the milk gently in a small pan (with a knob of butter if you like) and stir in the garlic — warm it through without a hard boil so the garlic stays mellow, not bitter.
- LANGKAH03
Cut the crisp chicken into pieces. Pour the warm garlic milk into the pan with the chicken (or add the chicken to the sauce) and let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes so the flavours meld and the sauce takes on the chicken's savour.
- LANGKAH04
Check the salt (and add a pinch of chilli or coriander if you like). Serve immediately, with the garlicky sauce spooned over and plenty of bread — and ideally Georgian wine — to go with it.
Make ahead
Best cooked fresh so the chicken skin stays crisp, but you can fry the chicken and crush the garlic ahead, then combine with the warm garlic milk just before serving. Reheat gently if needed, keeping the milk below a hard boil so it stays smooth.
Storage
Best fresh, when the skin still has some crispness and the garlic is at its brightest. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently so the milk sauce doesn't split (don't boil hard). The crisp skin softens on storage, but the garlicky sauce is still delicious over rice or with bread.
Variations
With cream
Some modern versions enrich the sauce with a little cream for extra silkiness.
Chicken thighs
Use bone-in thighs instead of a whole bird for an easy weeknight version.
Spiced
Add a pinch of dried chilli, blue fenugreek or coriander to the sauce for a Georgian aromatic note.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Pertanyaan umum
What is shkmeruli?
Shkmeruli is a Georgian dish of fried chicken served in a warm, intensely garlicky milk sauce. It originates from the village of Shkmeri in the Racha region. The chicken is crisped in a hot pan (traditionally pressed flat), then bathed in milk loaded with crushed garlic. It's rich, pungent and beloved — proper garlic-lover's comfort food.
Isn't that a lot of garlic?
Yes — and that's the point. Shkmeruli is unapologetically garlicky, often using a whole head or more. Warming the crushed garlic gently in the milk (rather than boiling it hard) mellows and sweetens it, so it's bold and savoury rather than harsh. If you love garlic, this is the dish; if you're timid with it, start with a little less.
How do I stop the milk sauce from splitting?
Keep the heat gentle — warm the garlic milk and let the chicken bubble in it briefly, but don't boil it hard or simmer it for a long time, which can cause the milk to curdle or split. Whole milk (and a little butter or cream) is more stable than skimmed. Serve soon after combining.
Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?
Yes — bone-in thighs and drumsticks work well and are easier than spatchcocking a whole bird, giving juicy meat and crisp skin. Just crisp the skin hard in the pan first, then combine with the garlic milk. The technique and the garlicky sauce are the same regardless of the cut.
What do you serve with shkmeruli?
Bread is essential — crusty bread or Georgian shoti to mop up the garlicky milk sauce. It's also good with boiled or fried potatoes, or rice. A simple fresh tomato-cucumber salad cuts the richness, and a glass of dry Georgian wine is the traditional pairing. It's a generous, shareable, sauce-forward dish.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.