Chicken pakora are a super simple & delicious snack to make. Boneless chicken pieces are coated with a gram flour (besan) batter and fried till golden brown. Crispy & crunchy they will be a hit with adults and kids alike. Serve hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup with a cup of chai on the side.
It’s the first roza today and the start of Ramadan, a very special month for Muslims. For those that don’t know Ramadan or Ramazan (as we call it in Pakistan) is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. It’s a complete fast – no food and drink consumed during that time period. The meal that we have right before sunrise is called suhoor / sehri and the meal that we have when we break the fast is called iftar / iftari. At the end of the month we have a special celebration known as Eid-ul-Fitr where we all go out, visit family & friends and eat a lot of delicious food!
This year’s Ramadan is going to be quite different – there will be no gatherings for Ramadan prayers, no Iftar parties with friends & family, no running out to grab crispy jalebis and pakoras for Iftar and possibly no Eid celebrations either. It is a tough time, but we can try to look for a silver lining in this situation – take the opportunity to connect with our faith in a more meaningful manner and appreciate the small things in life.
My small celebration for the first roza is to share this recipe of chicken pakora with you. Pakoras are a Ramadan staple in every Pakistani household – onion, potatoes, spinach, mixed vegetables we batter fry everything! And today, I will teach you how to do the same with chicken.
Read on ahead for my recipe for chicken pakora and some tips on how to make the best chicken pakora!
Tips on making chicken pakora:
- Consistency of the batter is important – thick enough to coat the chicken properly leading to juicy chicken inside, but not so thick that it becomes doughy.
- Fry the chicken pakoras on low-medium heat so the chicken pieces get enough time to cook through from inside.
Some other Pakistani and Indian snack recipes that you can try are:
-
Desi Chicken Patties
-
Aloo Daal Bun Kebab
-
Mash ki daal kay dahi baray - lentil fritters in yoghurt
-
Aloo Pakora or Potato Fritters
Would love it if you could try out and rate the recipe, and let me know how it was in the comments below!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Pakora
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 300 grams boneless chicken cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Salt to taste
For the chickpea batter
- 1 cup gram flour also known as chickpea flour or besan
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon pomegranate seeds or anaardaana (optional - can be skipped)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
- Chaat masala for garnish
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Place boneless chicken in a bowl. Add all the ingredients mentioned in the chicken part of the ingredients. Mix through and keep in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
For the gram flour / chickpea flour / besan batter:
- Place gram flour (besan) in a bowl. Add salt, coriander powder, red chili powder, crushed coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds (if using) and salt. Stir the mixture dry with a whisk or fork. Add water a few tablespoons at a time while whisking till a smooth batter is created. It should be thick enough to coat the chicken, but not super thick. If adjustment is required, add more gram flour (besan) or water accordingly.
- Heat the oil in a wok or shallow frying pan on low – medium flame.
- Dip the boneless chicken pieces in the chickpea batter, shaking off the excess batter and then add in the hot oil. Add the rest of the pieces and fry till golden brown on both sides. Make sure the chicken is cooked through from inside – you can cut open a pakora to double check.
- Garnish with chaat masala. Serve with green chutney or tomato sauce.
Ghulam Mohyudin says
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.