Best Chicken roll recipe | Street style Kolkata egg chicken roll

Chicken roll |How to make chicken roll

What is chicken roll ?

It is basically a  wrap of spiced chicken with vegetables inside a soft golden paratha, sometimes coated with eggs or drizzled with green chutney. chicken roll is a popular and versatile dish made by wrapping cooked or grilled chicken, along with various fillings, in a flatbread or tortilla. It's a convenient and delicious way to enjoy chicken with a variety of flavors and ingredients. Chicken rolls can be customized to suit individual preferences, making them a favorite choice for quick meals, snacks, or even as party appetizers. Small cubes or slices of cooked chicken are stir fried with onion, capsicum and other spices. These fillings are then wrapped inside a soft golden paratha or rumali roti.

Chicken kathi roll is the most popular version and has been invented in the first half of 20 th century in the city ot Kolkata, India. And it's  origin can be traced  back to a restaurant known as Nizam's. These kolkata Chicken rolls are stuffed with shewers roasted kebab inside paratha, which layered with egg. These stuffed chicken roll are so delicious and yummy.

Ingredients required

Chicken :  In restaurants yoghurt marinated smoked chicken are used. Boiled chicken or grilled chicken are also yields good results. Use boneless chicken pieces.

Vegetables : Onion and capsicum are generally prefer. You can add red and yellow bell peppers as well.

Spices : Red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, chat masala, salt.

Flour : Good quality all purpose flour (maida). 

Herbs : Coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste and lemon.

Cooking oil : Any vegetable oil or butter.

Other ingredients : Green chutney, tomato ketchup

Variations

Two popular variations for chicken roll are 

• Mughlai Chicken roll 
• Chicken kathi roll (rumali chicken roll)

In Mughlai Chicken roll, A paratha is used to wrap the chicken filling.  The dough for the paratha is kneaded with eggs, milk and water thus making the paratha more soft and tasty. Sometimes even the paratha is coated with thin layer eggs coating.

Whereas in restaurant, chicken fillings are wrapped inside a rumali roti. And marinated chicken like chicken tikka are used in the fillings.

Another popular variation of this roll can be made by using a tortilla bread. Mayonnaise and green chutney are often used over the tortilla bread and then chicken filling.

Leftover roll

You can refrigerated the leftover chicken roll in a fridge. But it is best to use within a day. They don't last for long.

Steps to make the recipe

 Step1. Marinating the chicken

Unlike standard marinades, we use mustard oil and kasuri methi for that punchy, restaurant-style aroma.

• Prepare the Chicken: Cut the boneless chicken into small, bite-sized cubes (smaller pieces cook faster and fit better in the roll).
• Mix the Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the hung curd, ginger-garlic paste, mustard oil (this is key for pungency), turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lemon juice, and salt.
• Coat & Rest: Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for softer meat).

Step 2: The Dhungar Method (Infusing Smokiness)

This secret step mimics the Tandoor’s charcoal flavor without using a clay oven.

1. Heat Charcoal: Hold a small piece of charcoal over a flame with tongs until it is red hot.

2. Place the Bowl: Place a small steel bowl (katori) or a piece of onion skin in the center of the marinated chicken bowl.

3. Smoke it: Place the hot charcoal in the small bowl. Pour 1 teaspoon of ghee directly onto the coal. It will immediately start smoking heavily.

4. Seal the Flavor: Instantly cover the mixing bowl with a lid or foil. Let it smoke for 5–7 minutes. Discard the coal. The chicken now has a distinct tandoori aroma.

step 3. Making Flaky "Laccha" Paratha Dough

We use the pleating technique to ensure the paratha is flaky, not chewy.

1. Knead with Cold Water: Mix the flour (maida), sugar, salt, and 1 tbsp oil. Gradually add cold water to knead a soft dough. Chef’s Tip: Cold water restricts gluten development initially, making the paratha crispier.

1. Resting: Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes. This relaxes the dough so it doesn't shrink back when rolling.

2. Create Layers (Pleating):

• Divide dough into balls. Roll one ball out thinly.

• Brush the surface with oil and sprinkle dry flour.

• Fold like a paper fan: Make pleats (accordion folds) from one end to the other.

• Coil it: Roll the pleated strip into a spiral (Swiss roll shape) and tuck the end underneath.

• Rest these coiled balls for 10 minutes before the final roll.

Step4. Cooking the chicken for roll

Using an Oven

• Preheat the oven to 240°C ( 464 degree F) for about 15 minutes. And if using wooden sticks then soak them in water for 30 minutes.  
• Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and then thread the chicken in either wooden sticks or iron shewers. Place the threaded Chicken on the tray and place it inside the oven. 
• Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp golden on both sides. Brush some butter while flipping the chicken from one side to another to prevent dryness.

you can cook the chicken on a pan or tawa. 

• Heat a pan with some oil over medium heat flame. When it become hot lower the flame and remove excess marination from the chicken.
• Place the chicken pieces one by one into the pan. Don't over crowded the pan with chicken.
• Cook the chicken for 2 minutes and then flip to another side. Cook them further 2 minutes and when become little charred flip to other side. Cook the chicken by flipping one side to another for about 8 minutes or till become dry and well done.

4. Cooking the paratha

• Final Roll: Gently roll out the coiled dough balls into 6-inch circles. Tip: Don't press too hard, or you will crush the layers.
• Fry: Heat a tawa (skillet) with oil/ghee. Cook the paratha on both sides until golden spots appear.

For Plain Paratha

Divide the dough into small equal size parts and roll them between the palm of hands to make round shape dough balls. Keep them aside for 7 to 8 minutes to set.

 It is important to rest the dough balls to set when using all purpose flour (maida).  Due to the elasticity property of all purpose flour, the dough ball won't roll freely as soon as making the dough balls.  After the dough balls get set dust them with some flour and start to roll with a roller pin. Make a round shape circle of about 5 to 6 inch diameter.

Heat a tawa or pan and cook them over medium heat flame on both sides till become light golden brown. Apply butter or ghee on both sides while roasting them.

5. Making the fillings

I have cut the cooked chicken into slices. You can use them like as they are. 

Heat some oil in a pan on medium heat flame and fry ginger garlic paste till the raw smell goes off. Add sliced onion and capsicum and saute for a minute. 

Then add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt. Pour some water and cook the masala for one minute. Add the chicken and mix well with vegetables. Add some tomato ketchup and mix further. Finally add chopped coriander leaves with them and remove the fillings.

6. Coating the paratha with eggs

This step is only required if you want to make a egg chicken roll If not you can escape this step. Heat a tawa or pan with some oil on medium heat and place one paratha on it. When the paratha become hot, pour a whisked egg over it and spread around.

 Then flip the paratha to another side and cook the egg completely.

 Remove the paratha and repeat with the remaining paratha as well.

7. Assemble the roll

Take one egg coated paratha and spread 2 tablespoon fillings over one side. 

 Top the fillings with some fresh onion slices and sprinkle some chat masala. Now fold the paratha tightly and close.

 Wrap with a paper and serve. Make more roll with rest of the paratha and Chicken fillings.

Rumali roti roll 

Rumali roti roll is often served in restaurant as Kathi roll. It is easy to wrap the fillings inside a rumali roti compare to paratha. You can use the same chicken fillings to wrap inside a rumali roti. Basically at restaurants, chicken tikka is used to make the fillings. And chicken kathi roll is made by wrapping the fillings inside a rumali roti and then roasted till golden brown. They are served by cutting into two or three pieces with green chutney. After making a rumali roti  fold one side edges about 1/4 th part and spread the chicken fillings as shown below.

Make a thick batter with maida and water. And apply around the rumali and fold the right and left sides as shown below.

Now wrap the rumali roti and seal. Roast on a pan till become golden brown from all sides. Cut into pieces and serve. 

To make perfect rumali roti at home you can read this rumali roti recipe instructions with step by steps.

Chef's Tips: The Science of a Crispy Roll

The "Cooling Rule" (Crucial for Crunch) The #1 reason homemade rolls become soggy is steam. If you place piping hot chicken onto the paratha, the steam gets trapped inside the wrap, turning your crispy bread soft and limp within seconds.

• The Fix: Let your chicken filling cool down to warm/room temperature before assembling. This ensures the paratha stays flaky until the last bite.

2. Why Your Dough "Bounces Back" Have you ever tried to roll a paratha, but it keeps shrinking back like a rubber band? This happens because the gluten strands are tight.

• The Fix: You must let the dough "relax." Rest the dough for at least 20 minutes after kneading, and another 10 minutes after forming the balls. This relaxes the gluten network, allowing you to roll it thin without fighting the dough.

3. The "Dry Gravy" Technique Street-style rolls never have a runny gravy. A wet filling will leak through the paper wrap.

• The Fix: When cooking the chicken, ensure you cook off all the excess moisture in the final stage (the "Bhuna" technique). The masala should coat the chicken pieces tightly, with no liquid pooling in the pan.

4. Flakiness = Cold Water + Oil To get those distinct "Laccha" layers:

• Use cold water to knead the dough (it delays gluten formation, making the crust shorter and crispier).

• Smear your rolling surface with oil instead of flour. Flour dust burns on the tawa and creates a bitter taste; oil ensures a golden, fried finish.