Chicken Kathi Roll | Chicken Tikka Paratha Roll Recipe
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Chicken Kathi Rolls are actually unbelievably easy to make, and it’s well worth it! If you’re not in India, then definitely make these kathi rolls so you can take on one of the most popular street foods! These rolls are so delicious - they merge the greatness of the Spicy Egg Roll but with the addition of juicy tandoori chicken. This recipe sure is a keeper, and you’ll be coming back to this when you want one of the most popular Indian street food dishes right from the comfort of your own home!
I loved having chicken kathi rolls back in Delhi. They were one of my favourite street food options! Who can resist the juicy, tender chicken, the warm omelette, and the zesty mint chutney!
Of course, I can’t get this anywhere in Canada. After every visit, immense feelings of nostalgia run through my veins. I have to say that I definitely miss experiencing the streets of India.
The good news though is that recreating my favourites with my own twist really brings me back to the good old days of my teen years! These Indian street foods are so near and dear to my heart, and it thrills me to be sharing these recipes with you so no matter where you are in the world, you too can enjoy the awesomeness of Indian street foods! I know that these meals are so special to me, and they taste amazing. To have the opportunity to show you how to make these delicious street foods is such an honour, so I hope you try out this Chicken Kathi Roll recipe and let me know in the comments what you think!
What is a Chicken Kathi Roll?
A chicken kathi roll is one of India’s most popular street foods! It contains marinated tandoori chicken, wrapped in a white flatbread. The flatbread is cooked with an omelette. We traditionally add a tomato chutney or a mint chutney, but in this recipe I’m using a mint chutney. You then add your favourite veggies as toppings. Here, I’m using thinly sliced onions, chopped green chilies, and diced tomatoes. Everything is finished with some fresh cilantro. Add your cooked chicken, wrap everything up, and enjoy!
Ingredients for A Chicken Kathi Roll
Here are the ingredients you need to make chicken kathi roll:
Eggs
Chicken Tikka
Ghee
Salt and pepper
Onion
Tomato
Other veggies, if desired
What Bread to Use for Chicken Kathi Roll?
I always pair my kathi rolls with white parathas, so be sure to check out my White Paratha recipe to save the day with your wrap needs! Of course, you could use a prepared paratha or even a tortilla, but for the sake of authenticity, I’m going to be using my own homemade white paratha.
The kathi roll can even be made with rumali rotis, if you are planning these kathi rolls for a weekend meal. You can check out my Rumali Roti (Handkerchief Roti) recipe.The best part about using rumali roti is how thin it is and it wraps really easily, forming multiple layers. It is an experience you need to enjoy.
What Chicken is used for a Chicken Kathi Roll?
Succulent pieces of chicken tikka pieces are used to prepare this wrap and I follow my homemade recipe for the Best Chicken Tikka at Home. This recipe will show you how to either to bake/broil the chicken tikka or make on the stovetop. Chicken thighs or breast can be used in this recipe, just remember, chicken thighs will always be more flavourful and juicy.
To marinate the chicken, you do not need to follow the recommended marination time of 2 hours if you are looking for a quick lunch. Also, we will be combining the first and second marinade to speed up the process even more. I discussed the entire process in much more detail down below.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
The answer is YES. Wraps are the epitome of make ahead meals. That’s why they serve it or airplanes, and the great aspect is this wrap can be enjoyed hot and cold - I really enjoy it. A few things to keep in mind is to wrap the kathi roll well with aluminium foil or parchment paper.
Ingredients such as the yogurt, chutney and tomatoes will leak out of the wrap if you are not careful. By the way, did I mention that the leftover juices on the plate is absolutely full of flavour!
How to Make Chicken Kathi Rolls
Marination
The chicken is marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, Kashmiri deggi mirch and salt. The lemon juice and yogurt help to tenderize the chicken slightly and enhance the flavour from the spices, ginger and garlic. The marination time is quick, only about 20-30 minutes. A key ingredient in this recipe is the deggi mirch, which adds a lot of color, yes NO FOOD COLOURING here!
This quick marinade is adapted from my The BEST Chicken Tikka at Home recipe and the first and second marinade is combined to one for this quick lunch variation.
Cooking the Chicken
Oven-broiled method: This recipe attempts to replicate the char and smokiness achieved in a tandoori using your oven broiler. To do so, simple place the marinated chicken pieces on a wire rack, over a baking sheet and place directly under the broiler.
As the chicken cooks, the marinade may drip on the pan and start to burn. To avoid smoking, pour about 1/2 Cup water on the baking sheet and place baking sheet back in the oven. The chicken will take about 15-20 minutes to finish cooking, flip chicken halfway along the cooking process to evenly char the chicken.
The chicken tikka pieces are then tossed in butter to serve. You can skip this step if using chicken thighs as the dark meat is already extremely juicy.
Pan-seared method: This method is great if you don’t have an oven or prefer pan-searing instead. The chicken also cooks much faster, however as pan-searing any meat goes, be careful of the cooking time or you will risk drying out the meat.
To pan-sear, simple add some oil in a pan on medium heat and add the chicken tikka on the pan. I like to turn up the heat to medium high to add a nice sear to the chicken. The chicken should be ready in 10-15 minutes.
Making the Egg Roll
This is one of my favourite part of this recipe. Start with an 8 inch omelette pan and heat on medium-low and add some ghee.
In the meanwhile, whisk two eggs until well combined.
Add the whisked eggs to the hot pan.
Once the bottom of the egg starts to set, place white paratha or tortilla on the eggs.
Use a spatula to gently press on the eggs to ensure it coats the underside of the bread.
Keep cooking for 4-6 minutes until the eggs are fully cooked. Then, flip the egg paratha and lightly toast the bread, about a minute or so.
Fillings
The classic fillings include a mint chutney/pudina chutney, a red hot sauce (I use Frank’s hot sauce), thinly sliced onions, tomatoes and top with the chicken tikka. The combination is classic for a reason, however, I still need to figure out what type of chutney my favourite street food vendor uses, the flavours are so unique.
Once your roll has finished cooking, place it on your work surface.
Spread your cilantro-mint chutney in the centre.
Then, add a few drops of hot sauce.
Now, add your sliced onions.
Add the sliced tomatoes.
Then, top with the chicken tikka pieces.
And that’s it! Now, gently wrap your kathi roll.
And wrap the bottom in aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Watch How to Make Chicken Kathi Roll Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!