Chicken Kulcha Recipe

activate yeast

In a small bowl, stir the warm water (about 105–110°F / 40–43°C) with sugar and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Make a well in the flour. Add the yogurt, oil and the activated yeast mixture. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. If dough feels very dry, add up to 1–2 tablespoons additional warm water.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Dough should be soft but not sticky.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place 60–75 minutes, or until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Heat 1 tbs oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add the finely chopped onion and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent.

Add garlic paste, ginger paste and chopped green chili; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the minced chicken and break up with a spoon. Cook 4–6 minutes until no longer pink.

Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, red chili powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 1–2 minutes to toast spices and let flavors combine.

If the mixture looks dry, sprinkle 1–2 tbs water and cook another minute. Remove from heat, stir in chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool to room temperature (important to prevent dough from becoming soggy).

Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal portions (about 80–90 g each). Roll each portion into a smooth ball and let rest 10 minutes under a damp cloth.

Lightly flour a work surface. Take one dough ball and flatten with your fingers into a small disc about 3 inches across.

Place 2–3 tbs of the cooled chicken filling in the center of the disc. Gather the edges and pinch to seal tightly, forming a stuffed ball.

Gently flatten the sealed ball with your palm and roll carefully with a rolling pin into an oval or round kulcha about 6–7 inches across. Work gently to avoid tearing; if filling peeks through, pinch and reseal.

Preheat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Brush one side of the rolled kulcha lightly with water or oil and place it wet-side down on the hot skillet.

Cook 1–2 minutes until you see bubbles forming and the underside has brown spots. Brush the top side with a little oil or butter, flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until cooked through and golden. Press gently with a spatula to ensure even contact.

For a charred finish (optional), after pan-cooking, transfer kulcha to a direct flame (gas burner) for a few seconds with tongs, or place under a very hot broiler for 30–45 seconds, flipping once, to get small charred spots.

Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Keep cooked kulchas covered with a clean towel to stay soft while you finish the batch.

Brush each cooked kulcha generously with melted butter or ghee, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and nigella or sesame seeds.

Serve warm with yogurt raita, pickled onions, or a simple salad. Leftover kulchas can be reheated on a skillet or wrapped and gently warmed in an oven.