Chicken Paratha Roll
چکن پراٹھا رول
The paratha roll is Karachi's great late-night food: chunks of smoky, spicy chicken, sharp green chutney and raw onion rolled up in a hot, flaky paratha and wrapped in paper. It is eaten standing by the roll stall, in the car, or brought home for a quick dinner. This home version gets close to the stall flavour with a punchy yogurt marinade, a very hot pan and an optional minute of coal smoke.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Prep: 45 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Put the chicken in a bowl with the 3 tablespoons of yogurt, ginger, garlic, chili powder, chili flakes, coriander powder, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Mix well, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
For the chutney, blend the mint, coriander and green chilies with a pinch of salt and a spoon of water to a smooth paste. Whisk it into the half cup of yogurt until pale green.
Soak the onion rings in iced water for 10 minutes to soften their bite, then drain well and toss with a squeeze of lemon and the chaat masala.
Heat the oil in a on high heat. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid dries up, the chicken is cooked through and the edges are lightly charred.
Optional : place a small foil cup in the middle of the chicken, put a red-hot piece of charcoal in it and drizzle a few drops of oil over the coal. Cover tightly for 2 minutes, then remove the coal.
Heat a over medium heat and cook the parathas one at a time with a little ghee, flipping, until crisp and golden on both sides, about 3 minutes each.
Spread chutney over each hot paratha, line a quarter of the chicken down the middle, top with onions and a little more chutney, and roll up tightly. Wrap the bottom half in butter paper or foil and serve straight away.
Kitchen notes
Thigh meat stays juicier than breast in the hot pan. If you use breast, take it off the heat as soon as it is cooked so it doesn't turn stringy.
Use thick yogurt for the chutney. Watery yogurt soaks into the paratha and makes the roll soggy and messy.
Roll while the paratha is hot and pliable. A cold paratha cracks along the fold.
Karachi’s late-night favourite
Roll stalls in Karachi stay busy until well past midnight, with chicken and beef boti sizzling on hot plates or over coals while parathas crisp on a giant beside them. Bun kabab and paratha rolls are the city’s quick dinners, eaten after work, after cricket or on the way home from a wedding. Lahore and Islamabad have their own versions, but the flaky paratha, green chutney and raw onion combination is the same everywhere.
Getting the stall flavour at home
The stall flavour comes from three things. First, a bold marinade: yogurt and lemon tenderise the chicken, while red chili, and roasted cumin give the familiar tikka taste. Second, high heat. Cooking the chicken fast in a hot dries off the marinade and catches the edges before the meat overcooks. Third, smoke. A minute of with a piece of hot charcoal gives the barbecue aroma that a home stove can’t otherwise produce.
The paratha matters as much as the filling. It should be crisp outside and soft inside, so it rolls without cracking. Frozen plain or lachha parathas are what most people use, and they work well.
Variations
- Beef boti roll: use tender beef cubes marinated overnight with a little raw papaya paste, and cook a few minutes longer.
- Seekh kabab roll: wrap two seekh kababs instead of the boti.
- Cheese or egg roll: add a slice of cheese, or cook a beaten egg on the paratha before rolling, for an anda paratha roll.
Make ahead and serving
The chicken can be marinated a day ahead and the chutney keeps for two days in the fridge. Cook the chicken and parathas just before eating, and roll at the last moment. Serve with extra chutney, a few fries, and a cold drink or a glass of lassi.
Questions people ask
Can I use frozen parathas?
Yes, most stalls and homes do. Cook them from frozen on a medium tawa; they are made with plenty of fat, so they need little or no extra ghee.
Can I add a garlic mayo sauce?
Yes. Mix 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise with a small grated garlic clove, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of black pepper. Many roll stalls offer it alongside the green chutney.
Can I grill the chicken instead of pan-cooking it?
Yes. Thread the marinated pieces onto skewers and grill over coals or under a hot oven grill for 10–12 minutes, turning, until charred at the edges. You then won't need the dhungar step.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 560
- Protein
- 35 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
