The best ever recipe of Chicken Bharta!
This chicken bharta recipe is spicy chicken recipe where shredded chicken is cooked with Indian spices. This is a great way to use up any leftover roasted chicken and re-purpose it for a delicious weekday dinner. This is a great make ahead ‘meal-prep’ recipe which would definitely ease up the planning for weekday dinner menu.
Looking for dhaba style chicken bharta recipe? Let me put this disclaimer out that if you are looking for Kolkata-style Chicken Bharta, then this won’t be that. I find it as a slight deviation from the version usually found at the dhabas or Indian highway-side restaurant.
Word is that the chicken bharta recipes came into being when one such dhaba owner was left with a ton-load of roasted chicken. In an attempt to re-purpose all that leftover chicken, he shredded it and then fried it with the Indian spice-mix to give birth to this epic dish of Chicken Bharta.
I don’t know how much of this story is true, but in my kitchen I specially poach or roast chicken to make some chicken bharta. So, usually when I buy chicken, I prefer those weighing over 1500 gms. or 3 lbs. I wash them thoroughly and divide them as per our servings. Usually I get around 3-4 serves of chicken.
Out of those, one is usually all meaty which I keep for recipes like this. This saves me from de-boning them or even if there are small pieces of bones attached to the chicken pieces, it can be easily removed.
How to prepare Chicken for Chicken Bharta recipe?
Most of the time, I pressure cook them. Simply add them in your pressure cooker with very little water, a pinch of salt and little freshly crushed pepper. Let it whistle for 2-3 times. This will cook the chicken perfectly.
Once it is cool enough to handle, remove the chicken pieces from the stock (broth) and shred them using a fork. Discard any pieces of bones attached to the chicken pieces.
Save the Chicken stock for later. You will require some of it for adding to the Chicken Bharta. Rest can be superbly used for making Clear Chicken Soup.
In case you have leftover roasted chicken upon you, simply de-bone them and shred them using your fingers or 2 forks.
How to make Chicken Bharta at home?
This chicken bharta recipe is spicy chicken recipe where shredded chicken is cooked with Indian spices. This is a great way to use up any leftover roasted chicken and re-purpose it for a delicious weekday dinner. This is a great make ahead 'meal-prep' recipe which would definitely ease up the planning for weekday dinner menu.
- 250 gms Shredded Chicken Boiled Roasted will also work
- 2 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 1 Onion Large, Finely Chopped
- 2 Tomatoes Medium, Finely Chopped
- 3-4 Cloves of Garlic Chopped
- ½ inch Ginger grated
- 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves or Kasoori Methi
- Salt to Taste
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Sweet Paprika or Kashmiri Lal Mirch Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 4 tbsp Chicken Stock Or, Water
- Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves to Garnish
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Heat the oil in a pan till it smokes, lower the heat and allow the oil to cool a bit.
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then add the finely chopped Onion, Garlic, Ginger and Tomatoes. Stir everything and mix them well.
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Once the reduce in half, add the powdered spices and kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves.
the best way to add the kasoori methi is to crush them between your palms first and then adding. This way, they release their flavour well.
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Once the spice mix is cooked completely and you see oil bubbling at the edges, add the chicken stock or water. Mix everything well.
Chicken stock will add a ton of flavour.
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Now, add the shredded chicken and mix.
At this stage, check for seasoning. Add as required.
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Turn off the heat and add freshly chopped Coriander leaves. Serve hot with rotis, naans or chapattis.
Recipe Video
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