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Chicken Pakora Recipe

Tender chicken marinated in a blend of fragrant spices, then coated in a chickpea flour-based batter for that signature mild nutty taste. This Chicken Pakora is then fried until beautifully golden and crisp.
These pakoras are packed with flavour and make a brilliant lunch or crowd-pleasing party food. I’ll show you how to make them ahead and ensure they stay lovely and crispy.

Prep Time: 00:10
Cook Time: 00:40
Total Time: 00:50

Ingredients:

  •      6 chicken thigh fillets chopped into bite-size pieces (approx 500g/1.1lb)/li>
  •      1 tbsp minced ginger
  •      1 green chilli finely chopped
  •      1 tsp ground cumin
  •      1 tsp ground coriander
  •      1 tbsp dried coriander leaf
  •      1 tsp chilli flakes
  •      1 tsp ground fenugreek
  •      vegetable oil for deep frying approx. 3-4 cups (720-960ml)
  •      ½ tsp salt
  •      ½ tsp garlic salt
  •      100 g (1 1/4 cups) gram flour also known as chickpea flour or besan
  •      1 tbsp cornflour cornstarch
  •      ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  •      180 ml (3/4 cup) water

To serve:

  •    fresh coriander
  •    sweet chilli sauce

Method:

  1. Place the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl.
    6 chicken thigh fillets
  2. Add the minced ginger, chopped chilli, cumin ground coriander, dried coriander leaf, chilli flakes, and ground fenugreek. Mix together to coat the chicken, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    1 tbsp minced ginger, 1 green chilli, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp dried coriander leaf, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  3. Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. You need at least 3 inches of oil but do ensure the pan or wok is less than half full of oil as you don’t want it to bubble over.
    vegetable oil for deep frying
  4. Take the chicken out of the fridge and sprinkle on the salt, garlic salt, gram flour, cornflour, and baking soda.
    ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp garlic salt, 100 g (1 1/4 cups) gram flour, 1 tbsp cornflour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  5. Mix together to combine, then add in the water a splash at a time until you have a batter about the thickness of double (heavy) cream. You may not need all of the water.
    180 ml (3/4 cup) water
  6. Test the heat of the oil by dropping a little blob of the batter in the wok. It should sizzle and rise to the top.
  7. Add the chicken into the oil, one piece at a time, using a set of tongs. You will need to work in 2 batches to ensure the pan isn’t overcrowded.
  8. Fry for 4-5 minutes until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
  9. Keep the first batch warm in a warm oven (approx. 130C/250F (fan)) whilst the second batch is cooking.
  10. Once all of the chicken pakoras are cooked, place in a serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh coriander.
    fresh coriander
  11. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.
    sweet chilli sauce

Can I make them ahead?


They taste best when eaten right away, but you can make them ahead if you wish.
Make the pakoras, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day.
To reheat, place the pakoras on a baking tray in a single layer and cover in foil. Place in the oven at 190C/375F for 10 minutes, or until piping hot throughout. If you find they coating has softened a little, cook in the oven for a further 2 minutes with the foil removed.


Can I freeze them?


Yes, cook the pakoras, then cool, cover and freeze.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as per the make-ahead instructions above.


How to scale up and scale down this recipe


You can halve or double the recipe, keeping to the same ratios. However, if you are doubling the recipe, it’s worth noting that the recipe will take longer, as you’ll have to cook it in 4 batches.
Source: https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/chicken-pakora-recipe

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