Pakistani Chicken Kachori Recipe (my Mom's version)

There are different types of kachoris out in the world, but this is the Pakistani Chicken Kachori I grew up eating - a deep fried, crispy, flaky pastry filled with different kinds of delicious fillings. Today, I'm sharing with you guys my mom's famous Kachori recipe, which uses a very simple but delicious chicken and veggie filling. This recipe makes for a great appetizer and snack, especially in Ramadan for Iftars! I'm excited for you guys to try this out.

Jump to:

• THE STORY BEHIND THESE CHICKEN KACHORIS
• INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
• HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN KACHORI
• VARIATIONS
• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
• Related
• Pakistani Chicken Kachori Recipe (my Mom's version)

THE STORY BEHIND THESE CHICKEN KACHORIS

I shared my tandoori chicken naan buns last week, and the recipe was so well received that I was surprised! Normally, the Bake With Zoha fam is all about sweets, but clearly there is appetite (pun intended) for some yummy savory snacks, especially for Ramadan. So the idea to make these kachoris came to me, and I asked my IG fam what they wanted in an Instagram poll. Shockingly, Kachoris won in an overwhelming majority, even beating out Mango cheesecake!

Of course, I had to call my Mom and get her recipe, which she is famous in our whole family for! Here's what I love about my Mom's kachoris:

• It is straightforward
• The pastry is extra flaky and crispy
• The kachoris don't absorb oil and aren't heavy - it is a miracle! But they're not oily at all
• The filling is really yummy and simple. It's made with Indo-Chinese flavors

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED

Here's what you will need to make these Pakistani style chicken kachoris - remember, the exact quantities are listed at the end in the recipe card.

Pastry:

• All purpose flour
• Ghee (you can substitute butter)
• Salt
• Water

Filling:

• Shredded chicken (I like to boil chicken tenders until they are cooked through, and then shred them roughly with my hands)
• Grated carrots: I recommend shredding fresh carrots vs buying packaged ones, as those are often really dry
• Finely chopped bell pepper
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Chili flakes
• Vinegar
• Soy Sauce
• Chili garlic sauce: This is optional; can be substituted with ketchup
• Cream: You can also use milk - this just adds a little moisture to the filling

Assembly & cooking:

• Corn starch and oil to make a slurry
• Oil for deep frying
• Ketchup or chutney of choice for serving

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN KACHORI

Let's walk through the process now. Check out my video tutorial here:

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1. Make the pastry dough

Mix flour, ghee and salt in a bowl. Add the water, a little at a time, until there's enough to make a somewhat tough dough. It shouldn't be dry, but it also shouldn't be soft, as it will soften with time. Knead for 2-3 minutes, then cover and set aside to rest.

2. Prepare the filling

This is super easy! Once you have your chicken, bell pepper and carrots ready, simply heat a little dash of oil in a pan, add them in along with the spices, soy sauce and vinegar. Then stir and cook for just 2-3 minutes until the veggies just start to soften. Taste the filling and then add chili garlic sauce (if you want) as well as a little cream to add some moisture.

That's it! The filling is done. Set it aside.

3. Assemble the Kachoris

This happens in 2 steps. In the first step, you will laminate the pastry by layering it with the cornstarch and oil slurry, and in the second step, you will fill the pastry with filling. Let me show you how.

First, divide the dough into ~15 equal pieces, weighing ~40g each. Roll each into a ball.

Now, working one ball at a time, you will roll out into a thin circle with a rolling pin. Spread ½ teaspoon of the cornstarch slurry with a pastry brush. Then, you will create a "book fold": fold the top down to the middle line, fold the bottom up to the middle line, and fold again. This will create 4 layers of dough. Now, repeat the same thing in the other direction, so you have a small square shape with 16 layers total. See the images below for more clarification.

Tip: I like to laminate all balls first before filling the kachoris. This allows them to rest a bit, making them easier to roll out again.

Now, you are ready to fill! Working one piece at a time, roll out into a thin square shape (doesn't have to be neat). Place one well filled scoop (2 tbsp) of filling in the center. Pull each of the 4 corners up to the middle and pinch them together. This will create 4 new corners, and you will also pull them up to the middle and pinch them. Basically, we are creating a sack sort of shape. Make sure there's no opening. Then take the dough that has collected on the top, pinch it properly, twist it, and remove any excess. This will create a really pretty swirly shape on top of your kachoris. Once again, see the images below for a visual guide!

Tip: Make sure you remove the excess dough from the knot of each kachori! Otherwise, it will not cook through and won't be pleasant to eat.

As you prepare kachoris, keep them on a plate, not touching one another, and cover with a wet paper towel so they don't dry out.

4. Fry!

Heat 2-3" of oil in a wok. You want it to be medium hot, such that if you drop in a small piece of dough, it takes about 3 seconds to rise to the top, not immediately! Turn the burner to medium flame, then start frying the kachoris.

You will place the kachoris upside down, so the side with the knot on it fries first. This side will take longer to cook, about ~8-10 minutes or so. Then flip over and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side until the kachori has a golden brown color all over. This will take 12-14 minutes total.

Tip: Always fry a test kachori! Cut into it and see if it is cooked through. This will give you an idea for how long to fry and at what temperature.

5. Serve and enjoy!

Yay - your effort now pays off!!! Enjoy these kachoris with the chutney of your choice (they can taste a little dry on their own).

Since the filling has a slight "Chinese" flavor, I like serving them with chili garlic sauce (or chili garlic ketchup), or plain ketchup. But you can decide what you like!

VARIATIONS

The beauty is that you can fill these kachoris with any kind of filling you like, as long as it is not runny or soupy! Here are some ideas:

• Tandoori chicken - The filling from my naan buns will be great here, too!
• Minced meat / keema
• Pizza filling: Tomato sauce, cheese, and maybe some meat of choice
• Vegetarian - you can make a paneer or veggie filling, or even add potatoes like samosas!

It's also great that the pastry doesn't have any egg in it, making it suitable for people who avoid egg and want to add vegetarian fillings.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Related

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