Tawa chicken is a quick and easy chicken stir fry style dish prepared on a flat pan called Tawa. Tawa is made from cast Iron and is usually used for making roti/flatbread. It is not an absolute necessity to cook this on tawa, any cast iron skillet/pan can be used as well. It is an amazing spicy chicken curry and the best thing its comes together in no time. You will absolutely love this recipe and will become your favourite weeknight meal.
How to make Tawa Chicken.
Tawa chicken requires usual ingredients which are used in any other chicken curry. But the rapid cooking on tawa gives this chicken curry a distinctive taste. The ingredients required are as below:
Boneless chicken – choose between breast or thigh fillets. Slice the chicken thinly so that it cooks quickly.
Onion – cut thin slices of onions
Garlic ginger paste – its best to use fresh garlic ginger paste. You will definitely notice the difference in taste and aroma. Try to use bottled pastes only as a last resort.
Capsicum – Thinly sliced capsicum. its added in the end and adds a nice crunchy texture.
Tomatoe puree – You can use canned crushed tomatoes or tomatoe puree. Fresh tomatoes are don’t breakdown in gravy quickly and require longer to cook.
Spices – the spices required are red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli (alternative Paprika), turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala
Green chilli – this dish is usually mildly spicy to spicy. You can use chillies according to your spice levels. If spicy is not your thing at all remove the seeds from the chillies.
Coriander/Cilantro – adds freshness and flavour to the dish. Add some while cooking reserving some for garnish.
Fresh Ginger – thin slices of ginger for garnish.
Begin with frying ginger garlic and thinly sliced onions. Don’t cook for longer, the onions shouldn’t lose their texture. Add butter at this stage, as adding it earlier would have caused it to burn. Toss the chicken and cook until it changes colour. Add all the spices at this stage except garam masala, followed by tomatoe puree. Cook for few minutes and then cover. The chicken will cook in its own water and moisture from tomatoe puree. I added little bit of water. It just prevents gravy from sticking to the pan. The chicken will take around 10 minutes to cook. Sprinkle garam masala, coriander and green chillies. Cover it for another 5 minutes so that aroma and flavours from these 3 ingredients are absorbed by the chicken. Garnish it with fresh coriander/cilantro and thinly sliced ginger.
What type of Pan to use
Tawa is the best for cooking this dish because its flat and distributes heat evenly. The food cooks really quick and it taste really good too. If you don’t have a tawa its not a deal breaker. Use any cast iron pan or skillet. A wok will also work for this.
Watch How to Make it
Serving Suggestion
Tawa chicken goes best with naan bread or any flat bread. Serve fresh salad or mint raita along with it.
Other Chicken dishes to Try
Tawa Chicken
Ingredients
- 550 g Boneless Chicken
- 1 cup Tomatoe Puree
- 1 cup Capsicum sliced
- 1 medium Onion Sliced
- 1 tbsp Garlic Ginger Paste
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli Alt Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1-2 Green Chillies
- 1/4 cup Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Chopped Coriander/Cilantro
- Ginger Slices Julienned cut
Instructions
- Heat Tawa or cast iron pan and pour oil. Add garlic ginger paste and fry for a minute. Add sliced onions and fry for another minute. Add butter as well.
- Add chicken and cook until it starts to change colour. Add all the spices and mix.
- Add tomatoe puree and cook for couple of minutes. Turn the heat low. Add 2 tbsp of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- At this stage the water from tomatoe should be dried up and coating the chicken. If it seems watery turn the heat high and cook untill excess water is dried up.
- Sprinkle garam Masala, green chillies and coriander ( reserve little bit for garnish). Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Mix the chicken around. Garnish with coriander and ginger slices.
- Serve with naan or flat bread.
