Tandoori Chicken Star Bread

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

Published:

Rated 4.90 out of 5

161 Comments
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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.

A golden-brown star-shaped bread with twisted segments, sprinkled with chopped herbs and sesame seeds, sits on a white plate atop a wooden board.

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:

A hand pulls apart a piece of golden, cheesy tandoori chicken bread topped with herbs and sesame seeds, revealing gooey melted cheese inside. A bowl of green dipping sauce sits in the background.

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!):

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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!
  4. 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
  5. Garlic butter. Finally, you brush the baked bread with garlic butter to really bring home the naan flavor!
A round, golden-brown star bread with twisted segments, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped herbs, sits on a white plate atop a wooden board. Crumbs and herbs are scattered around.

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:

A round, uncooked pizza dough sits on a sheet of brown parchment paper, viewed from above.

Firstly, divide the dough into two halves and roll each half into a ~10″ circle. Place one circle on the baking sheet with parchment.

A round flatbread topped with a generous layer of seasoned, cooked chicken pieces, placed on a sheet of brown parchment paper.

Then spread on the chicken filling, leaving 1/2″ empty around the edges.

A raw pizza with shredded cheese and seasoned meat on a round dough base, placed on brown parchment paper.

Cover with shredded cheese, leaving the edges empty still.

A round, uncooked pizza dough is placed on a sheet of brown parchment paper. The dough is light in color and has a slightly raised edge, ready for toppings.

Brush egg wash on the edges. Then cover with the other dough sheet. Press the edges together lightly to bind them together.

A round ring of dough with shredded cheese and filling visible in each section, sliced into segments around a small bowl placed in the center, all on a sheet of parchment paper.

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.

A round, flower-shaped arrangement of stuffed bread slices surrounds a small cup of white dipping sauce, all placed on brown parchment paper. The bread appears to have a savory filling.

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.

A star-shaped bread wreath with twisted, filled sections of dough arranged around a glass cup in the center, placed on parchment paper. The filling appears savory, with shredded meat and cheese.

Repeat with all 16 strands until you have an 8-pointed star shape.

A star-shaped, twisted bread pastry filled with a savory mixture, topped with sesame seeds, sits on a sheet of brown parchment paper before baking.

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! And if you want an equally delicious dessert after, make my easy homemade gulab jamun and become everyone’s favorite.

A hand pulls apart a piece of golden, twisted bread topped with herbs and sesame seeds. A bowl of green dip sits in the background. The bread appears soft and freshly baked.

A few more tips before you make it

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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)
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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!

A hand holding and pulling apart a soft, golden, twisted bread filled with herbs and spices. The bread has a fluffy texture and visible green and orange filling. Other bread is blurred in the background.
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A round, golden-brown star-shaped bread with twisted segments filled with a herbed mixture, topped with sesame seeds and chopped parsley, served on a white plate.

Tandoori Chicken Star Bread Recipe

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.90 stars from 64 reviews

Soft and fluffy naan bread filled with smoky and spicy tandoori chicken, shaped into a stunning star and brushed with garlic butter

Yield:8-10 servings

Prep Time:
45 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

Naan dough:

  • 160g milk, warmed to 110F (2/3 cups)
  • 2 tsp instant yeast (can be substituted with active dry)
  • 325g all purpose flour (2 1/2 cups)
  • 40g sugar (3 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60g unsalted butter, softened (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt (preferably full fat)

Tandoori chicken filling:

  • 450g chicken thighs (or use tenders), cut into small cubes (about 1 lb)
  • 1/2 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)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 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 tbsp milk)
  • 1–2 tbsp sesame seeds

Garlic butter:

  • 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic
  • 1–2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

Naan dough:

  1. 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
  2. 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:

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Use a fork and knife to shred the chicken into smaller pieces
  4. 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
  5. Let the filling cool down until it’s no longer hot

Assembly:

  1. 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
  2. Punch down the dough to remove large air pockets. Divide into 2 equal pieces, and roll each into a ball. Rest for 5 minutes
  3. 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.
  4. Spread the chicken filling on top of the dough circle, leaving 1/2″ empty around the edge of the dough.
  5. Spread the shredded cheese on top of the chicken, leaving the edge empty still
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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)
  10. 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
  11. Repeat this step with all 16 strands or 8 pairs, until you have a star shaped bread with 8 prongs
  12. Remove the circular object placed in the center of the bread. Brush the bread with egg wash all over, and sprinkle over sesame seeds
  13. 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:

  1. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the garlic and cilantro and mix to combine. Brush all over the baked bread
  2. Serve and enjoy!

Video Tutorial

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Comments

  1. Isma Qureshi

    can i make the dough the night before and bake in the morning?

  2. Momina Manzoor

    Showstopper item!! Tastes as great as it looks!

  3. Anam Shahid

    Perfection!

  4. Rabbia Farrukh

    I tried this yummy Tandoori chicken star bread today and it was absolutely divine to look at. The taste was soo goood ❤️❤️❤️❤️ please keep posting more lovely and delicious recipes.

  5. Aiesha P

    Hi Zoha! Lovely recipe
    Can I make assemble the bread with chicken and freeze it, just so that i can bake it next day?

    1. Zoha

      I don’t recommend that, the bake won’t be the same 🙂

  6. Sidra

    Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

    1. Zoha

      Yes, just make sure you don’t overcook it 🙂

  7. Manisha

    Ahhhh this was so fun to make! And so delicious too! Thank you

  8. Sadaf Sajjad

    Hi. For economical reason, can we replace butter with oil?

  9. Ayesha

    Absolute hit recipe

  10. Javeria

    This should be named as “crowd pleaser bread”! Followed the super simple instructions to the T and the end results were banging!! I did mess up the shaping a little but it still baked into a wonderful star!! 5/5 stars for this amazing recipe! Thank you Zoha!

    1. Zoha

      YAYYY thanjk you!!!

  11. Amber Zehra

    I made the naan star bread & it was a hit!! Live your recipes Zoha! Keep up the good work.

  12. AJ

    Please add nutritional information

  13. Faiza Imran

    Just baked this amazing Tandoori Chicken star bread! Thanks for the recipe, turned out delicious!

  14. Afsheen Saleem

    It looks yum!!🤤
    Definitely gonna try this ramadhan💖
    May i know can we make the whole thing and freeze it lika a star?

    If yes ,then how many days before guests dinner?

  15. Zainab

    What a showstopper! Both in flavor and looks! Loved how you incorporated the idea of tandoori filling into the fun star shaped bread! Keep em coming girl, jazakAllah!

  16. Beena

    Found the oven temperature setting, please disregard my last comment. Thank you

    1. Zoha

      Haha sounds good – good luck!

  17. Beena

    This looks amazing! Will definitely try however I need the oven temperature settings please. Thank you.!

  18. Ray

    this is the first recipe i ever tried with the bread/naan types…..and turned out superb🤩😍its so easy too

    1. Zoha

      Yay, I am honored!

      1. Uzma

        Love this turned out so good!

  19. Reena

    Can I use self rising flour for this recipe

    1. Zoha

      No, that will not be a suitable substitute unfortunately. Plain flour!

  20. Farah

    I tried this recipe and absolutely loved it. Definitely recommending it to others

    1. Zoha

      Thank you!

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