Mahendra Singh Dhoni is quite famous for his capabilities on the playing field. An absolute warrior when wielding the willow, a pragmatic leader when marshalling his troops and an attentive wicket-keeper with lightning quick reflexes, Dhoni carved his own niche in the gentleman's game.

But, apart from his rich legacy in cricket, Dhoni's love for butter chicken is also well known amongst fans. The former Indian captain's fondness for the Punjabi dish has been thoroughly highlighted in his social media posts in the past. That probably explains why he ordered a staggering 2,000 black 'Kadaknath' chickens last month.

Having already called time on his international career, Dhoni is eager to start farming his own batch of the special Indian chicken at his organic poultry unit in Ranchi. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain had approached IS Tomar, head of the Kadaknath Murga Research Center in Jhabua, expressing his desire to acquire the black chicks.

So what makes this black chicken so special that it has now courted an interest from Dhoni? Well, the famed Kadaknath breed, that comes with a Geographical Indicator (GI), is originally from Jhabua area in Madhya Pradesh. Unlike other breeds, this chicken is known for its distinct black colour.

Not only are the bird's feathers black, its meat and eggs, too, are of the same colour. But, it's not just the looks that make the Kadaknath breed stand out. Its meat is highly rich in protein and has far less fat as compared with a broiler or other chicken breeds. Owing to its qualities, the Kadaknath chicken meat is not only expensive, but also hard in texture which is why it needs a different style of cooking.

© Instagram/@kadaknath_black_chicken

If that's not enough, the fact that Kadaknath chicken also has medicinal properties further makes it a highly sought after breed. One of the breeders of the indigenous variety recently shared a story highlighting the medicinal qualities of the Kadaknath chicken.

"A close relative of mine had some health issues. We had heard that Kadaknath chicken had some medicinal properties. We sourced the chicken and put it on the relative's diet. There was some improvement in her health. It was then that my son thought of the business aspect of Kadaknath chicken," Rudra Breeders, one of the earliest chicken farms in Tamil Nadu to raise Kadaknath chicks, owner S Shanthi told IANS.

When it comes to the cost, a pair of Kadaknath chicken can cost around Rs 5,000. A female Kadaknath chick can grow up to weigh 1.5 kg, while the male grows up to 2.5 kg. While the unique breed has been making waves in the Indian market for a while now, interest from a famed cricketer like Dhoni is bound to boost its popularity amongst Indian foodies.

View the full article