This is the Tandoori Chicken Star Bread that Gordon Ramsay called "f**king delicious" in the semi-final of Next Level Baker - and trust me, it is worthy of that praise! It starts with an ultra-soft, fluffy bread similar to naan, layered with a smoky, spicy tandoori chicken filling and melty cheese, then shaped into a beautiful twisted star. Once baked golden brown, it is finished with fragrant garlic butter for the ultimate savory shine. It needs only one rise and is easier to make than it looks, an absolute showstopper on the table, and bursting with bold flavor.
Gordon Ramsay and Carla Hall LOVED this bread!
I competed in Gordon Ramsay's first ever baking competition show, Next Level Baker. The semi-final was a 60 minute savory challenge, and I was quite intimidated as I consider myself strong with sweets. I knew I had to use Pakistani flavors to stand out, and was inspired by my very beloved Tandoori Chicken Naan Buns. But individually shaped buns are tedious and time consuming, so I decided to turn them into this star shaped bread instead. The judges LOVED it, with Gordon Ramsay calling it "f***ing delicious" and a "showstopper", and Carla Hall actually asked me for the recipe!
Here's a little clip of the bake:
Video tutorial
Here is an in depth video tutorial for this recipe that will help you understand it better:
5 simple components for this bread
This Tandoori Chicken Star Bread is made with 5 quick components (I promise they're quick, I did make them all AND a raita in just 60 minutes on the show!):
- Naan bread dough. This is a simple dough that contains yogurt for the signature naan texture and flavor. It is simple and no fuss, as you just chuck everything into the mixer at once. If you want to knead by hand, you can also do that - find more details on how in my tandoori chicken naan bun recipe
- Tandoori chicken filling. The filling is made with chicken thighs or tenders marinated in a blend of yogurt and spices, then cooked on high heat until slightly charred. It also gets an optional (but recommended) smoking with wooden smoking chips for an authentic tandoori flavor! It is just delicious
- Cheese. Of course, a bread recipe needs some cheesy yumminess! You can add any shredded cheese you like - I have used mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere and even a combination!
- Egg wash. Make an egg wash with an egg yolk and milk to help bind the dough and brush on top for a golden sheen
- Garlic butter. Finally, you brush the baked bread with garlic butter to really bring home the naan flavor!
How to make star shaped bread
Making star shaped bread is much, much easier than it looks! And it's not just for the looks - it's great for serving because of its "tear and share" quality. Everyone can pull a strand for themselves with no need for a knife.
Here's a quick step by step on how to make it with pictures:
Firstly, divide the dough into two halves and roll each half into a ~10" circle. Place one circle on the baking sheet with parchment.
Then spread on the chicken filling, leaving ½" empty around the edges.
Cover with shredded cheese, leaving the edges empty still.
Brush egg wash on the edges. Then cover with the other dough sheet. Press the edges together lightly to bind them together.
Now, place a small round bowl (or something similar) in the middle of the bread - this is the protected zone that you don't cut! Divide the rest of the bread into 16 strands as pictured. I like to do half first, then cut each half into 2 halves, and continue until I have 16 strands or 8 pairs.
Pick 2 strands that are next to each other, and carefully twist them away from each other 2-3 times, then pinch together the ends to create a point. This will create a pretty twisted star point.
Repeat with all 16 strands until you have an 8-pointed star shape.
Brush the bread with egg wash all over, and sprinkle over sesame seeds.
See, not too hard! Just takes a little practice. Now just bake until golden, brush with garlic butter, and serve!
A few more tips before you make it
- PLEASE weigh your flour! It's so easy to add too much when using a measuring cup, which can easily ruin the texture of the bread
- Don't kill the yeast! The milk should be warm but not hot or scalding, around 100-110F is best. If it's too hot, it can kill the yeast
- Don't be tempted to add more flour. Whether you're kneading with a stand mixer or by hand, the dough will be very sticky at first but will come together eventually (this can take 10-15 minutes by hand)
- Make sure the dough is properly proofed before shaping. It should have more than doubled in size, and when poked gently with a finger, should spring back partly. Over or under proofing will mess up the end result
- Let the chicken marinade! This is how it absorbs all the flavor. I recommend at least 30 minutes but you can also leave it in the fridge overnight
- Get the baking time right. The bread should have a deep golden color on top and spring back when gently poked. You can also use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be between 190-210F. Overbaking can dry out the bread!
You can learn a lot more tips about kneading and proofing bread in my soft and fluffy garlic butter dinner rolls recipe - just remember this recipe needs only one rise, not two!
Tandoori Chicken Star Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
Description
Soft and fluffy naan bread filled with smoky and spicy tandoori chicken, shaped into a stunning star and brushed with garlic butter
Ingredients
Naan dough:
- 160g milk, warmed to 110F (⅔ cups)
- 2 tsp instant yeast (can be substituted with active dry)
- 325g all purpose flour (2 ½ cups)
- 40g sugar (3 tbsp)
- 1 tsp salt
- 60g unsalted butter, softened (about ¼ cup)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt (preferably full fat)
Tandoori chicken filling:
- 450g chicken thighs (or use tenders), cut into small cubes (about 1 lb)
- ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp chili flakes (reduce as needed)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp oil, butter or ghee for cooking
- Handful of wooden smoking chips, optional
Assembly:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- Egg wash (1 yolk + 1 tablespoon milk)
- 1-2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Garlic butter:
- 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
- 1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic
- 1-2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
Naan dough:
- Start by warming the milk until it is warm to touch but not hot or scaling (around 110F). Mix the warm milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add all the flour, sugar, salt, butter and yogurt. Knead using the dough hook attachment on medium high speed for about 8 minutes. You will know the dough is done when it pulls away from the edges of the bowl, is smooth, soft and stretchy. You can also knead the dough by hand - first bring together the ingredients into a shaggy dough using a wooden spoon, then turn out onto a clean surface and knead with a push-pull motion. This will take a long time (~15 minutes) and be very sticky at first but will eventually become smooth and stretchy
- Transfer the dough into a clean bowl sprayed with oil, cover with cling wrap, and place in a warm place for about 45-60 minutes until it doubles in size, and springs back partly when gently poked with a finger
Tandoori chicken filling:
- While the bread is proofing, work on the chicken. Mix all the ingredients except the oil and smoking chips into a large bowl. Mix until combined, and set aside for 30 minutes
- Once marinated, it's time to cook. Heat the oil in a large wok on high heat. Add the chicken along with the marinade and cook for ~10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, most of the liquid has evaporated, and the chicken has started to char. Taste and adjust spices as needed
- Use a fork and knife to shred the chicken into smaller pieces
- Optional step, Place the wooden smoking chips into a sheet of aluminum foil and fold it up so only a small opening remains on the top. Place onto a burner on medium heat until you see smoke escaping from the opening. Use tongs to transfer to the wok, open the foil more, cover with a lid and let smoke for 5 minutes. Be careful and keep the exhaust on during this step
- Let the filling cool down until it's no longer hot
Assembly:
- Once the dough has risen and the filling is not hot any more, start assembly. Pre-heat your oven to 350F (conventional / no fan). Prepare a large baking sheet or pizza baking pan (ideally light colored) with parchment paper and a spray of oil
- Punch down the dough to remove large air pockets. Divide into 2 equal pieces, and roll each into a ball. Rest for 5 minutes
- Use a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to roll one half of the dough into a 10" diameter circle. The size doesn't have to be exact, as long as it's around 10" and mostly circular. You can also use a 10" pan to cut it into a perfect circle! Place this dough sheet onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and stretch it into a circle again if it gets de-shaped in the transfer process.
- Spread the chicken filling on top of the dough circle, leaving ½" empty around the edge of the dough.
- Spread the shredded cheese on top of the chicken, leaving the edge empty still
- Mix the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl to make the egg wash, and use a pastry brush to brush a light layer of the egg wash on the empty edges
- Roll the other half of the dough into a circle of the same size, and carefully transfer it onto the dough with the filling on top. Try to align the placement of the two circles, so the top circle fully covers the filling. Pinch together the edges to seal them
- Place a small pinch bowl or other circular object that is roughly 2" in diameter in the middle of the bread. This is the part of the bread that will stay intact and not be cut
- Now use a sharp knife to divide the rest of the circle into 2 halves, leaving the part in the middle (~2") intact. Then divide each half into 2 halves, so the circle has been divided into quarters. Divide each quarter into halves, then cut each half into halves again. At the end, you will have 16 strands of the dough, with the center portion uncut and intact (see photos or video in blog post above for visual demonstration)
- To shape the star, carefully lift two strands that are next to each other in each hand. Twist the strands away from each other two to three times, then pinch together the ends to make a point. This will create a twisted leaf like shape. The twisting will reveal the chicken and cheese filling inside the bread, too. If any chicken falls out, you can poke it back in
- Repeat this step with all 16 strands or 8 pairs, until you have a star shaped bread with 8 prongs
- Remove the circular object placed in the center of the bread. Brush the bread with egg wash all over, and sprinkle over sesame seeds
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for ~20-22 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown on top and cooked through (internal temperature should be ~190-200F)
Garlic butter:
- Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the garlic and cilantro and mix to combine. Brush all over the baked bread
- Serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Pakistani, Indian, American
Lily says
hi zoha
loved u on next level baker. I was soo excited to see u post this recipe. question, can chicken breast be used instead since that's what I have on hand at the moment?
Areesha Hussain says
this bread was a hit!! everyone loved it and the instructions are really easy to follow. the ingredients also make it super convenient to whip it up whenever. 12/10, so good!! Definitely recommended everyone to try it!
Faathima says
Tried this last night. it was absolutely delicious!! the naan was extremely soft and perfect and the filling was something else! well done on a mind-blowing recipe .
Zahra says
I made this today and it was AMAZING!!! Thanks Zoha for the delicious recipe! Keep them coming 🙂
Devi says
hi cn u share the brand of instant yeast u use or suggest which brands r good
Sunita Adnan says
Zoya how much preheat temperature time and also both rods on ?
Mad says
Such bs why can you not list what temp to set the oven to for baking?
DJ says
It literally says it in the recipe. Reading is fundamental.
Anon says
Learn to read please. All information is in the recipe!
shaheen Vayani says
turned out sooo good thanks
Hiba says
hi zoha, if I wanted to double the recipe and make two stars, is there any of the ingredients I shouldn't double exactly?
Assia says
Ive made this twice now and 10/10 every time! The directions are super easy to follow. I will definitely be adding this to the ramadan menu
Qurat Umar says
I had to try this recipe. it looked so tempting. I made it and Allhamdollilah it turned out so good. i must say that this snowflake idea by Zoha was amazing. It turned a normal.pizza/naan into a Wow dish. we can now impress our guests.
thank you Zoha for sharing your amazing recipes with us.
Aniqa Abbas says
In love with this recipe!!!! The dough turned out to be so soft so pillowy textured and the chicken and cheese with garlic butter on top, perfection!🤍🤌🏻
Nida says
what a delicious way to end 2025! It was awesome. soft dough, tandoori flavor, and the beauty. thank you for the recipe. i wish i could add a picture here.
Irum says
I made it and it was so yummy....
Sheila says
recipe
Kiran Kamran says
I made this and it turned sooo good! I was a little worried if I can pull it off but it was not that hard
Texture and taste of the bread was very good
Aamna says
Yesterday, I made this on our 5th wedding anniversary, and it was the best bread I’ve ever made. Fingers crossed🤞🏻
Absolutely amazing recipe Zoha!♥️
Areeb says
I made this bread today and it was a hit! Got so many compliments. And you were right when you said it’s not that hard! At first, I didn’t think I could pull it off but it came out perfect!
Ehlam says
Tried this recipe. My family loved it!!! The taste of bread and chicken was soo different even though all the ingredients were pretty simple
Freya says
this was really good!! made it today and couldn't stop eating it!!
Burcu Basaran says
amazing recipe!!
zs says
wanted to make this ever since I saw a reel of zoha making it on the show!! I'm not very professional so tbh took me a lot longer than 90 mins (and I forgot about the garlic butter part entirely🤣) but it did turn out amazing. served with chilli oil and that was a great decision 🙂
Tamanna says
My husband loved it and the masale are amazing.
Keep posting more savoury dishes 😀
Mishka says
Absolutely delicious. I made sure to do everything the same way it was mentioned in the recipe and it turned out so good and tasty even tho I made it in the airfryer. Thank you for this delicious recipe. It was soooo worth the try and will definitely be making this again.❤️
SM says
can you share a video on using smoking chips
Zohra says
i am making this rn, hopefully this turns out good as i expect, but your recipe never disappoints🤍
Jessica says
I wasn’t in the mood for Indian seasonings, so I used the dough recipe and made my own filling with chicken, bacon, ranch, and jalapeño. It had to cook a lot longer than I thought, at least 40 minutes. It turned out delicious!
Cindy says
What is the green sauce that's on the side?
Sarah says
If I wanted to prepare the dough and filling the night before could I do that and then just bake it in the morning? Or will that mess something up? Or do you have other instructions for how to prepare it in advance and how to bake it on another day? Thank you so much! I already tried out this recipe and it was amazing and so am making it again!
Sana owais says
Ant to ask the same thing. Already made it ones and it was a stunner. Want to make to again for a party. Is it possible to assemble it the night before and bake in the morning?
Farah says
I tried this recipe and absolutely loved it. Definitely recommending it to others
Reena says
Can I use self rising flour for this recipe
Ray says
this is the first recipe i ever tried with the bread/naan types.....and turned out superb🤩😍its so easy too