Tawa Chicken is a quick, easy and fragrant indian chicken recipe that is prepared on a flat hot tawa(griddle). This dish is immensely popular on streets of India. Juicy chicken pieces are cooked in a thick masala made with onions, tomatoes, and a freshly ground tawa masala powder for authentic, street style bold flavors!
I cook chicken dishes throughtout the week and this tawa Chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners or at times when you want to cook chicken in a in hurry. Quickly make the tawa masala (spice powder) or use store bought spice blend if you prefer, chop some vegetables and cook everything together on a heavy griddle.
Serve as a chicken starter, parcel it inside wraps or as a meal with parathas or naan (flatbread) and raita.
What is a Tawa Dish
Tawa = Iron Griddle. In Indian kitchens, tawa is most commonly used for making flatbreads such as rotis or tawa kulcha, or for pan fried dishes like tawa eggs or tawa pulao or this chicken recipe. You will find tawa of many sizes in Indian homes each dedicated to a certain cooking task.
Pan frying on a high heat in a heavy cast iron tawa gives a smoky taste to the meats or vegetables or paneer and we all know how delicious anything charred is, right?Typically, tawa dishes are not too saucy, rather have a chunky masala that clings to the chicken or paneer.
Recipe Inspiration
The soul of this recipe is the freshly ground tawa masala powder based on the tawa recipe by the famous Indian Chef Ranveer Brar. Fresh ground tawa masala elevates the taste of any dish and the same is true here as well.
For the tawa masala powder, use woody spices like cumin, coriander, bay leaf, peppercorns, black cardamom and cinnamon for a smoky aroma. Sometimes I add 1-2 dried chillies as well for added kick.
Which cut of Chicken to use
I prefer to use dark chicken cuts in indian dishes. Dark chicken meat stays moist and has really good flavor. Cut the chicken thighs in strips for quick cooking. Cutting into strips makes them cook quickly and at the same time the chicken won't dry out from the high heat of the tawa.
Bone-in Chicken- You can use bone-in chicken pieces depending on your preference. Bone-in pieces often add more flavor but the cooking time will be longer. I suggest adding little bit of yogurt (about ⅓ cup) while marinating if you are using bone in chicken so that we have extra moisture while the bone in chicken cooks.
How to make Tawa Chicken
Preperation Notes
Prepare all your ingredients in advance, as this is a stir-fry style dish that requires quick cooking. When cutting the chicken, onions, and tomatoes, remember that we're cooking on a tawa, so the pieces should be small and uniform to ensure they cook evenly and quickly.
Avoid slicing the onions or chopping them into large chunks, and similarly, don't cut the tomatoes into large pieces. Tomato puree is not suitable for this recipe as it compromises the masala's texture and takes too long to reduce its moisture.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken thighs into strips or small pieces. Don't cut large chunky pieces. Place in a bowl and add the garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, red chili powder(I use degi mirch). Let stand while you chop the vegetables and make the tawa masala powder.
- Then start making the tawa masala powder. Dry roast all the spices for 4-5 minutes on a griddle. Transfer to small plate and let cool down a bit.
- Chop the onion. Halve the tomato and chop small. Half the green chilies lengthwise or you can chop it for pronouced heat (I do the latter). Julinne the ginger. If using cilantro stems, fine chop them.
- Once cooled, grind the spices using a coffee grinder or any dry blender.Dont make a very fine powder.
Make Tawa Chicken
- Set the tawa or skillet (I use 10 inch or 12 inch skillet for 1 lb of chicken) on a medium high stove to heat.
- Add oil to the tawa. Layer the chicken in a single layer in the hot oil. Let sear for 2 minutes or so. Flip the chicken to sear on other side(s). We dont want to fully cook the chicken, about 30-35 % only. Transfer chicken to a plate. There will be leftover oil in the skillet.
- To the remaining oil, add the bayleaf. Then add the onions and let cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Don't brown the onions too much.
- Add butter, chopped green chilies & cilantro stems (if using) and ginger julinnes all at once. Fry with onions for 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle spice powders and saute for 20-30 seconds with onions.
- Then add the tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Cook the tomatoes for 4-5 minutes until they soften but don't dry them out too much. You will see a chunky onion tomato masala at this stage. We are doing good!
- Add the chicken back along with all the juices. Sprinkle the tawa masala powder that we made. Mix to combine. You will suddendly see lots of liquid in but don't worry.
- Once mixed, spread the chicken in a single layer on the tawa and let cook for 4-6 minutes. Allow the chicken to cook on one side until it gets a nice brownish color.
- Using a flat spatula, flip and let the chicken cook on other side for 2-4 minutes or as needed until fully cooked. Flip the pieces carefully. Adjust these timings I mentioned as needed to cook the chicken fully and to dry out the liquid simultaneously.
- Finish the tawa chicken with chopped cilantro and additional butter (if desired).
- Switch off the stove and add lemon juice (or added tang if needed, I didn't use). Plate and serve!
Serving
Tawa Chicken is a perfect dish to serve as a starter with drinks.On streets, they usually serve it with parathas or naan. You can make wraps out of by parceling it inside indian flatbreads like paratha and a fresh salad like kachumber.
Recipe Tips
- Use a large flat and heavy tawa (griddle) for uniform cooking and to prevent the chicken from sticking. A large tawa ensure that the chicken cooks in a single layer without piling. Cast iron griddles or skillets work well.
- Don't skimp on oil. Else the chicken will start sticking.
- Adjust the spice levels according to your preference. If you prefer it spicier, you can add more green chilies.
- For a dairy free version, skip the butter.
Tawa Chicken (Indian Street-Style)
Ingredients
To Marinate the Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thighs boneless & skinless
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 1.5 teaspoon red chili powder I use degi mirch (non-affiliate link)which is medium hot
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
To Make The Tawa Masala
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil I use avocado oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 150 g onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 3-4 indian green chilies (hot) chopped or slit into half, adjust to taste
- ½ tablespoon ginger julienned
- 1 tablespoon cilantro stems finely chopped, optional
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder I use degi mirch which is medium hot
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 150 g fresh tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped to garnish
Spices for making the Tawa Masala Powder
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 10-12 black pepeprcorn adjust to taste
- 2 cloves
- 1 black cardamom, seeds only skip if not available or use 3 green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves
Instructions
Preparation
- Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken thighs into strips or small pieces. Don't cut large chunky pieces. Place in a bowl and add the garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, red chili powder. Let stand while you chop the vegetables and make the tawa masala powder.
- Chop the onion and small chop the tomatoes. Half the green chilies lengthwise or you can chop it for pronouced heat (I do so). Julienne the ginger. If using cilantro stems, finely chop them.
Make Tawa Masala Powder
- Set the tawa or skillet (I use 10 inch or a 12 inch skillet) on a medium high stove to heat. Add all the listed spices and kasuri methi. Dry roast for 4-5 minutes while stirring on low heat. Once you start seeing little smoke, immediately transfer the spices to a small plate and let cool down a bit.
- Once cooled, place spices into a grinder jar and grind to a powder. Don't make a very fine powder.
Cook Tawa Chicken
- Heat oil on the tawa over medium heat. Once hot, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Allow them to sear undisturbed for about 2 minutes, then flip to sear the other side(s). The goal is to partially cook the chicken, about 30-35%. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate and set it aside. You'll notice some oil remaining on the tawa-this will be used for the next steps.
- In the remaining oil, add the bay leaf and let it sizzle briefly to release its aroma. Then, add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they turn lightly golden. Be careful not to over-brown them, as they should retain a slight softness and sweetness.
- Add the butter, chopped green chilies, cilantro stems (if using), and ginger juliennes to the onions. Sauté everything together for about a minute, allowing the ginger to release its aroma.
- Sprinkle coriander, red chili and turmeric powder and saute for 20-30 seconds with onions.
- Next, add the tomatoes and sprinkle in some salt to help them cook down. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, letting the tomatoes soften while retaining some texture. Avoid overcooking or drying them out completely-you're aiming for a chunky onion-tomato masala at this point. If it looks like that, you're on the right track!
- Return the chicken to the tawa, including any juices that collected on the plate. Sprinkle the tawa masala powder that we made earlier over the chicken and mix well to combine. You'll notice a lot of liquid at this point, but don't worry-that's completely normal!
- After mixing, spread the chicken out in a single layer on the tawa. Let it cook undisturbed for 4-6 minutes, allowing the underside to develop a nice brownish color. This step adds a beautiful sear and enhances the flavor.
- Carefully flip the chicken pieces using a spatula and let cook on the other side for 4-6 minutes or until fully cooked. Adjust the timing as necessary to ensure the chicken is completely done and the liquid in the pan reduces simultaneously.
- To finish, sprinkle the freshly chopped cilantro. Add a knob of butter, if desired, for extra richness.
- Turn off the heat and, if desired, add a splash of lemon juice for a tangy kick (I skip it). Plate the tawa chicken and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Let the stove be on medium to medium high heat throughout the cooking. If you lower the heat, the chicken will get watery.
- Use a large flat and heavy tawa (griddle) for uniform cooking and to prevent the chicken from sticking. A large tawa ensure that the chicken cooks in a single layer without piling. Cast iron griddles or skillets work well.
- Dont skimp on oil. Else the chicken will start sticking.
- Adjust the spice levels according to your preference. If you prefer it spicier, you can add more green chilies.
- For a dairy free version, skip the butter.
I'd Love to Hear from You!