Chicken Ghee Roast

One of the easiest Chicken recipes I have ever come across - Chicken Ghee Roast. Chicken is simmered in spices roasted in ghee resulting in tender, juicy, and flavorsome pieces of chicken. This is a specialty from Mangalore and is very popular.

Edited on 03/11/2021 to make it reader-friendly and add more details.

ingredients

• boneless chicken
• ghee (clarified butter)
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Milk Powder (dry milk)
• ginger-garlic paste
• cumin powder
• methi seeds (fenugreek seeds); crushed to powder (optional)
• haldi (ground turmeric/turmeric powder)
• tamarind paste
• Salt to taste

step by step instructions

1. Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until fragrant.
3. Lower the heat to low, add the spice powders - Paprika, Cayenne, crushed methi seeds, cumin powder, and haldi. Fry till fragrant.
4. Add the milk powder and mix thoroughly.
5. Increase the heat to medium. Gently add the chicken pieces, tamarind paste. salt and mix well to coat.
6. Cook covered for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is well cooked.
7. Once the chicken is cooked well, uncover and fry till all the liquid has dried out.

inspiration for the recipe

There is this restaurant in Bangalore named Kanua and we happened to go there a few years back. That is where I first tasted this dish. We had it with neer dosa.

I wanted to make it at home, but could not find a recipe for the same. I asked around and my friend's wife (Sherin) knew somebody who knew somebody (you know how that goes, right?) who worked diligently on developing the recipe for Chicken ghee roast.

The original recipe shared by my friend Sherin uses only Byadagi chillies. I have adapted the recipe to use Paprika(for color)  and Cayenne (for heat). If either Byadagi chillies or Paprika-Cayenne combo is not available, you could try the same recipe with Kashmiri chilli powder. Adjust to taste.

serving suggestions

chicken ghee roast is a regular dish at home nowadays. you can serve this with

• Rice
• Daali Thoy
• Bell Pepper Stir Fry
• Cabbage Stir Fry
• Cucumber/Carrot Slices

leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Additional Notes

1. The original recipe shared by my friend Sherin uses only Byadagi chillies. I have adapted the recipe to use Paprika(for color)  and Cayenne (for heat). If either Byadagi chillies or Paprika-Cayenne combo is not available, you could try the same recipe with Kashmiri chilli powder. Adjust to taste.
2. Though Chicken Ghee roast has that fiery red color, it is not an extremely spicy dish. But you could always adjust the spiciness to suit your taste.
3. It is important to lower the heat before you add the spice powders to the Ghee. This is to prevent the spices from burning. If spices burn, the end result would taste bitter.
4. I use a large skillet to prepare the dish. And place the chicken pieces in one layer. This ensures uniform heating and cooking.
5. We typically like our chicken pieces well cooked and since Sonshine prefers less gravy, I roast the chicken pieces uncovered (until all the liquid has dried out) after it is cooked thoroughly.

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