Chicken Chaat is a zesty and tangy appetizer made with tender chicken, fresh herbs, and a mix of flavorful spices. It’s a delicious way to start any meal. For more appetizer ideas, explore my variety of starters.
Tender chicken sautéed with fresh vegetables and aromatic spices, for a side dish/appetiser to bring the house down. Want to know how to make this easy authentic Indian recipe? Let’s get started.
Products you need for this recipe
Here are a few extra items that will help you get the best out of this chicken chaat recipe:
- Large frying pan – go for a heavy bottomed cast iron pan
- Ghee – the essential base ingredient for authentic Indian cooking
- Serving dish – get an authentic balti dish and serve your chicken curry in style
Chicken chaat recipe
Let’s chat chicken chaat, shall we?
If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine, you’ll know how wonderful the simple dishes can be. This one is no exception. It’s seriously tasty, with a blend of select spices and flavour enhancers that all add up to a sublime side dish.
Simply put… if you’re looking for the ideal recipe to kick start an Indian food feast, this is the one.
This chicken chaat recipe only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and is so simple. For curious cooks looking to explore new recipes to begin an Indian food adventure, this recipe is perfect.
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Chicken thighs flash fried, onions and chillies sauteed until softened, tamarind paste, garam masala and chaat masala added to the pan, followed by tomatoes and chopped cucumber for a final fresh flourish. That’s all there is to it!
The results will leave your taste buds tingling.
What is chaat?
The word ‘chaat’ refers to a savoury snack in India. Snacks are a huge part of Indian cuisine. Indian street food is, to a large extent, all about quick savory snacks quick fried with spices.
They are often served along with curry at road side stalls in India and can be meat or vegetable based. Chaat is usually accompanied by chutney or sauces such as raita.
What is chaat masala?
Chaat masala is a wonderful spice blend that is frequently used in Indian street cooking. Made up of various herbs and spices, including cumin, ajwain, amchur powder, asafoetida and mint, chaat masala has enough flavour to totally transform any curry or chaat.
Check out my homemade chaat masala recipe and make your own!
What is garam masala?
It’s another incredibly fragrant and flavourful spice blend that’s used in many different curry recipes. It has a few similar ingredients to chaat masala, with enough different spices to really separate the two.
Garam masala is made up of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and nutmeg.
What is tamarind paste?
It’s a sour, dark, sticky paste that’s made from the tamarind tree. Tamarind paste is a favourite ingredient in Indian curry recipes and Thai cooking.
If you’re not a fan of tamarind paste, there are a few alternatives that would suit this recipe. Try some chilli and tomato paste or ginger paste with a squeeze of lemon juice, to bring some tang and a bit of bite.
You could also add ginger paste with the tamarind paste for extra earthiness.
How do you store Chicken Chaat?
If you end up with leftovers, chicken chaat will keep for a couple of days. In fact, with more time to settle and mingle, the spices will bring more flavour to the dish, although the chicken won’t be as tender.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can you make Chicken Chaat ahead?
Yes, you can make this chicken chaat recipe ahead of time. It’s really not necessary though, as it’s really quick to cook up – the prep and cook time is around 20 minutes.
Can you freeze Chicken Chaat?
You can freeze chicken chaat for up to 3 months. After that, it will start to lose its flavour.
To freeze, first let it cool down completely. Transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container, then label the container with the date of freezing and place it in the freezer.
Can I use chilli powder instead of fresh chillies?
Yes. If you can’t get hold of fresh chillies, you can substitute them for powder. Use a teaspoon of chilli powder in place of two fresh chillies.
Having said that, it’s definitely worth using fresh chillies in this recipe. It will taste that little bit more special.
More classic Indian recipes
Got your chicken chaat down pat? Now it’s time to move on to some more delicious Indian favourites:
- Aloo chaat – a spicy fried potato curry that tastes like a dream
- Masala chana chaat – another classic Indian street food, this vibrant dish is a tangy, spicy chickpea salad
- Chicken tikka masala – one of the all-time classic Indian curry recipes, chicken tikka masala is a guaranteed people pleaser. If you’ve only over ordered chicken tikka masala in a restaurant, you’ve got to try the homemade version!
- Lamb tikka masala – if you’re a fan of chicken tikka masala curry but you fancy something a little different, this could be the recipe for you. Immense flavour and oh so satisfying
- Easy Chicken Curry - it's in the name, this curry is simple to make but still full of tasty flavouring, and it takes less than an hour to make.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Chaat Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Chicken Chaat is a simple Indian side dish made of chicken, vegetables and spices which come together to create a flavourful dish.
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) ghee or vegetable oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 60ml (4 tbsp) tamarind paste
- 14g (1 tbsp) garam masala
- 10g (2 tsp) chaat masala
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- cilantro, for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat.
- Fry the chicken pieces until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Lower the heat and add the remainder of the oil to the frying pan.
- Gently fry the onion and green chillies until softened and translucent, which would take about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken to the onions, along with the tamarind paste, garam masala and chaat masala.
- Stir fry for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Switch off the heat, add the tomato and cucumber, then season to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 612
- Sugar: 13.7 g
- Sodium: 1872.9 mg
- Fat: 27.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 64.1 g
- Cholesterol: 280.1 mg
Violet
One of my favourite curries and one of the best recipes I've seen for it!
Michelle Minnaar
High praise! Thanks Violet