Chicken Roll Paratha
Tender spiced chicken strips, a cool mint-yogurt sauce and crunchy onions rolled inside a flaky, golden paratha. It's a filling street-style snack you can make at home in under an hour.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large frying pan or tawa, blender or chopper, mixing bowls, tongs, baking paper or foil for wrapping
Method
In a bowl, mix the chicken strips with the marinade yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp lemon juice, chilli powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, salt and cornflour until every strip is coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, blend the mint, coriander, green chillies, garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt with the 1/2 cup yogurt until smooth. Taste and add more salt or chilli if you like. Chill until needed.
Toss the sliced onion with the vinegar and a pinch of salt and set aside for 10 minutes. This softens the sharpness and keeps it crunchy. Sprinkle the chaat masala over the cucumber sticks.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if the pan is crowded.
Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, turning now and then, until the strips are golden at the edges, the juices run clear and the thickest piece reaches 74°C. Move to a plate and keep warm.
Wipe out the pan and heat it over medium heat. Cook each paratha with a little oil or ghee for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until crisp, golden and flaky, following the packet if using frozen ones. Keep them wrapped in a clean cloth so they stay soft.
Lay a paratha on a sheet of baking paper. Spread 1 to 2 tbsp of the mint-yogurt sauce down the centre, add a quarter of the chicken, then a handful of the onions and cucumber.
Fold in the sides slightly, then roll the paratha up tightly, wrapping the bottom half in paper or foil so you can hold it. Repeat with the remaining parathas and serve straight away.
Cooking tips
- Cut the chicken into thin, even strips so it cooks fast and stays juicy; thighs give the most tender result.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Crowded chicken steams and turns pale instead of browning.
- Spread the sauce on the paratha first, then add the chicken, so the flaky layers do not turn soggy too quickly.
- If the sauce is watery, use strained or hung yogurt to keep the rolls neat.
Substitutions
- Use boneless chicken thighs instead of breast for a juicier filling.
- Swap the yogurt sauce for a mix of mayonnaise, ketchup and a little chilli garlic sauce for a Karachi-style creamy filling.
- Use plain roti or chapati instead of paratha for a lighter roll.
- Replace the cucumber with shredded cabbage or sliced tomato.
Serve with
"Serve with extra mint chutney, lemon wedges and a cold drink such as sweet lassi or lemonade. Good for after-school snacks, iftar or a light dinner."
Storage
"Keep the cooked chicken and the sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Assembled rolls do not keep well, as the paratha turns soft."
Reheating
"Reheat the chicken in a hot pan for 3 to 4 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. Re-crisp parathas on a dry tawa, then assemble fresh."
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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