Shkmeruli — Garlic Cream Chicken

Georgian Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

A dish of Rachan origin: crisp-skinned roast chicken swimming in a sauce of mashed garlic and warm
milk. The flavour is ferociously garlicky, yet somehow becomes rounded and tame as the cream mellows
everything. Bread for dipping is required. A bowl of shkmeruli is a meal unto itself.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (chicken, milk, butter)

SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg), butterflied and cut into 4 pieces
- 12 cloves garlic (yes, 12), minced to a paste
- 500 ml whole milk
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), optional
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
- Georgian bread or crusty white bread, for serving

METHOD:
1. Season chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Place chicken skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for 8-10 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 6-8 minutes. The chicken should be just cooked through (74C / 165F internal). Transfer to a plate.
4. Drain off most of the rendered fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Add remaining butter and the garlic paste. Cook 60-90 seconds, stirring, until garlic is fragrant but not browned (browned garlic turns bitter — watch carefully).
6. Pour in milk, cream, and utskho suneli if using. Whisk together.
7. Return chicken to the pan, skin-side up. Simmer gently for 10 minutes — the sauce should reduce slightly and thicken. Spoon sauce over the chicken occasionally.
8. Taste and adjust salt. The sauce should be punchy and garlicky.
9. Serve chicken in shallow bowls, swimming in sauce. Top with cilantro. Serve with bread for mopping.

NOTES:
- Do not brown the garlic. It must be cooked gently. Burnt garlic ruins the dish.
- The traditional cooking vessel is a ketsi (clay baking dish). A heavy cast iron skillet works equally well.
- Some Rachan cooks use only milk (no cream). Others use only cream. Both are authentic. Milk-only is lighter; cream-only is richer.
- Leftovers are excellent. Reheat gently — do not boil or the sauce may break.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 590 | Protein: 48 g | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Fat: 38 g | Fibre: 0 g