Punjabi Dhaba Style Chicken Recipe

Punjabi Dhaba Style Chicken Recipe

Out of the many Indian Chicken Recipes, this Punjabi Dhaba Style Chicken Recipe is one of my favourites. 

This is Recipe passed down from my late mother. Whose food I always miss till today. My daughter, sons and daughter in laws have adapted to this recipe and can cook. 

The pieces of chicken wrapped with aromatic spices, onions, and tomatoes give perfect taste to the chicken. 

You can serve this with Naan, Lachha paratha, Missi roti, Tandoori roti, or just plain chapatti with a piece of chicken and some masala will be just what you would want. 

My children enjoy this with rice jeera rice and/or plain basmati rice. 

Dhabas

Dhabas are popular roadside food stalls that are lighted at night with glittered laser lights along the highways in Northern India where it’s a common sight where you see people enjoying the wholesome and flavourful North Indian food. 

I have personally been to Dhaba many times. It was common for us as we used to travel from Delhi to Amritsar by road. 

As our flight most of the time landed at night, and we used to be very excited to have our late dinner at Dhaba. 

We always used to stop at a particular Dhaba for dinner. As you move along different dhabas across you will smell food of different kinds. Different region has its own unique flavours.

What makes dhaba style food stand out is the use of simple ingredients to create something phenomenal in taste and looks. 

And also they use coal method of cooking which even makes it even better and gives it a different smoky flavour.

Though I have not used coal cooking but the taste is just authentic and pure Punjabi. 

Do try the recipe and please give your opinion I will really appreciate. 

Ingredients

Punjabi Dhaba Style Chicken Recipe

Ingredients 

1700 grams chicken

skinned cleaned and cut into 16-18 pieces 

4 tbs any cooking oil

2 tsp cumin seed

6 green cardamom 

4 cloves

1-inch cinnamon stick

2 tbs fresh ginger finely chopped 

2 tbs garlic finely chopped.

4 big red onions finely chopped 

4 big tomatoes finely chopped

3 bay leaves crushed with hand

3 tsp salt

3 tsp red chilli powder

3 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tsp garam masala

3 Bird eye chillies with in slit in centre 

1 cup yoghurt 

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tbs  of dry fenugreek leaves crushed with hand 

Garnish 

1 tbs garam masala

1tbs ghee

handful fresh finely chopped coriander leaves 

Instructions

Trim the excess fat from the chicken and put the pieces in a large bowl.

Place your cooking pot or pan over medium heat and add the oil. 

I am using claypot. It is thick and wide and I love cooking in it.

When the oil is hot add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, and sauté until it stops popping.

Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic and continue to sauté until it is golden brown.

Add the onions and sauté until the onions become golden brown. 

Add the tomatoes and sauté. Cover the pot with lid so that tomatoes become soft and mushy. 

Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin powder and chilli powder, salt Stir well.

Cook the masala until the oil comes to the top.

Add the chicken mix it well with masala for 2-3 minutes 

Now cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes on low flame. 

Uncover and stir to mix well. 

Again cover to cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender 

Sprinkle with fresh finely chopped coriander and pour 1 table spoon of ghee

Let is rest in the pot for 10 minutes. 

Before serving mix it well again. 

Tips

Cook chicken in heavy bottom pan or pot so that the masala doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom. 

Spices chillies or salt can be reduced and increased to your taste. 

When serving with rice or roti you can crush a small onion on your palm and eat along.