Kolkata is known for its wide variety of non-veg food items and one such delicious item is the Chicken Chaap. It is a Mughlai dish that was introduced in Bengal by the Nawabs.

Kolkata Chicken Chaap Recipe is a delicious slow-cooked marinated chicken leg recipe. This Awadhi cuisine is so in demand in Bengal, that you will get it at any restaurant serving Mughlai food. The rich flavors blend with the soft tender chicken and impart an excellent texture. The spicy and a bit oily profile tastes divine with any Indian rice dish or bread, especially Biryani and Rumali Roti.

If you are in the city, do give this dish a try. However, if you are not visiting, then simply make it at home. The dish carries a very different essence and will not fail to please you. Hence get your hands on all the ingredients and start with the cooking. Eat, share, and enjoy.

Let us look through the list of ingredients and how to make delicious Chicken Chap at home.

Kolkata Chicken Chaap Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Madhushree Dutta

Recipe to make tasty chicken chap easily at home. Simple ingredients, instructions, and equipment to prepare delicious Bengali-style chicken chap.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 20

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Bengali, Indian

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

1 Induction Cooktop
1 Kadhai

Ingredients

For Marination

4 Chicken legs whole
1 Onion medium
1½ tbsp Garlic paste
1 tbsp Ginger paste
500 g Hung Curd or Plain Yogurt
2 tbsp Red Chili Powder or according to heat tolerance
1 tbsp Cashew nut paste
1 tbsp Mellon seed paste or Char Magaz bata
2½ -3 tbsp Gram flour or Chatu, or Sattu
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Garam Masala powder
Salt to taste
Whole Spices for tempering
1 Black Cardamom
3 Green Cardamom
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
1 Javitri or Mace
5-7 Cloves

Other Ingredients

½ tsp Kewra Water
2 drops Rose Water
4-5 tbsp Vegetable oil or Mustard oil
2 tbsp Ghee
½ cup Milk saffron soaked

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

First, start by washing the chicken legs thoroughly and then pat them dry.
Place them onto a chopping board and with the help of a sharp knife, make slits on the pieces.
Add salt to taste and combine.
Cover and keep them aside for about 2 hours.

Prepare the marinade

Take a small bowl and add milk. Add the saffron and let it soak.
Wash, peel, and cut the onion into small pieces. Also, peel the garlic and ginger.
Next, take a blender and transfer the onion pieces, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, and the melon seeds or the Char magaz.
Make a smooth paste out of the ingredients. There should be no lumps.

Marinate the chicken

Now, take a large mixing bowl and add the hung curd or the yogurt, the onion, ginger, garlic, and nuts paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, sattu or gram flour, and salt to taste.
Whisk all the ingredients nicely until well combined.
Take a taste test to check the salt.
In the mixture, add a tsp of oil and whisk again.
Now, coat the chicken legs with the mixture nicely from every nook.
When all the four pieces are coated place them in the same bowl and cover them with a lid.
Put it into the fridge overnight. You may rest it for more than 12 hours.

Fry the chicken

Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
Next, take a deep bottom pan and add oil.
Let the oil heat until it smokes a little. Keep the flame on medium.
Gently place the chicken pieces and fry them from both sides.
For each chicken piece, it should take around 5-6 minutes (fry the chicken two at a time).
When done, transfer the chicken legs onto a plate.

Prepare the gravy

Add ghee to the same deep bottom pan.
Let the ghee heat nicely with the leftover oil.
Now, add the cloves, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, green cardamom, and mace into the heated ghee.
Stir them well until the aromatics are fragrant.
In this, add the remaining marinade and start stirring it immediately. Keep the heat on high.
Continue to stir without adding water. Do this for about 3-4 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces

Next, add the fried chicken legs to the gravy and turn the flame to low.
Cook the chicken from both sides in the gravy for about 4-5 minutes or until soft. Make sure not to overcook the chicken.
Now, add the saffron soaked milk into the pan along with the rose water and kewra water.
Mix everything nicely but gently.
Take a taste test and add if salt is needed.
When the gravy is thick, the oil will separate from it.
Transfer them onto a bowl.

Garnish

Garnish it with 2-3 strands of saffron.

Keyword Bengali Recipe, Chicken Recipes, Non Veg Recipes

And that is it! The succulent Chicken Chaap is ready to be savored. Serve it with Biryani, pulao, or any Indian bread of choice. The dish is remarkable and is a must-try.

Do not miss out on a plate of freshly cut salad to change the palate. Prepare this when you have time or when you are inviting guests over. Everyone will surely love it and clear their plates in no time.

Bon Appétit!

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