Chicken Macaroni (Spicy Desi Pasta)
چکن میکرونی (تیز دیسی پاستا)
Desi chicken macaroni is pasta the Pakistani way: not Italian at all, but a beloved home dish of its own. Elbow macaroni is tossed in a quick masala of tomatoes, ginger, garlic and red chili, brightened with soy sauce, chili sauce and ketchup, with chicken and crunchy vegetables. It's spicy, tangy and slightly sweet, a little like chicken chowmein meets a karahi. It's ready in 30 minutes and is just as good cold in a lunch box the next day.
- ⏱ Total: 40 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Boil the macaroni in plenty of well-salted water in a until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water so it doesn't stick, and toss with a teaspoon of oil.
Heat the oil in a . Add the chicken and ginger garlic paste and stir-fry on high for 4–5 minutes until the chicken turns white and starts to brown.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, chili flakes, pepper and salt. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring and pressing, until the tomatoes break down and the oil starts to separate (light ).
Stir in the soy sauce, chili sauce, ketchup and vinegar, then add the onion, carrot and capsicum and stir-fry for 2 minutes; they should stay crunchy.
Add the macaroni and toss for 2–3 minutes until every piece is coated and hot. Taste, adjust salt and chili, and serve garnished with spring onion.
Kitchen notes
Don't overcook the macaroni at the boiling stage; it softens again when tossed in the hot masala.
For children, skip the chili flakes and halve the chili powder; add a handful of sweet corn and a little grated cheese on top.
Vegetarian: leave out the chicken and add more vegetables, or boiled chickpeas.
A Pakistani home classic
Long before Italian restaurants arrived, Pakistani mothers were making “macaroni” in the karahi: boiled elbow pasta stir-fried with chicken, vegetables and a spicy tomato masala, seasoned with the soy and chili sauces of desi Chinese cooking. It’s a dish of its own, served at family dinners, birthday parties and in school lunch boxes, and a favourite of many grown-ups who ate it as children.
Where the flavour comes from
The base is a quick tomato masala with ginger, garlic and red chili, cooked until the oil separates, the same that makes a good karahi. Soy sauce adds savoury depth, chili sauce and vinegar add tang, and ketchup adds sweetness and colour. The balance of spicy, sour and sweet is what makes desi macaroni addictive.
Keep the vegetables crunchy
Add the onion, carrot and capsicum near the end and cook them for just a couple of minutes so they stay crisp and bright, as in chicken chowmein or chicken manchurian.
Serving
Serve on its own or with a simple raita. For a creamy, milder pasta, try white sauce pasta. More lunch-box ideas are in our school lunch box collection.
Questions people ask
Can I use other pasta shapes?
Yes. Penne, fusilli or spaghetti all work. Elbow macaroni is just the shape most Pakistani homes use.
Does it work in a lunch box?
Very well. It tastes good warm or at room temperature. Pack it in a closed box and keep it cool.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 28 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
