Chicken Roll Paratha

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into thin strips about 1 cm wide
• 3 tbsp thick plain yogurt, for the marinade
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp cooking oil, for frying the chicken
• ½ cup thick plain yogurt, for the sauce
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• ¼ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 green chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tsp lemon juice, for the sauce
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp white vinegar, for the onions
• 1 small cucumber, cut into thin sticks
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• 4 frozen or fresh parathas, plain and flaky
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee, for crisping the parathas

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the chicken strips with the marinade yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp lemon juice, chilli powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, salt and cornflour until every strip is coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. While the chicken marinates, blend the mint, coriander, green chillies, garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt with the 1/2 cup yogurt until smooth. Taste and add more salt or chilli if you like. Chill until needed.
3. Toss the sliced onion with the vinegar and a pinch of salt and set aside for 10 minutes. This softens the sharpness and keeps it crunchy. Sprinkle the chaat masala over the cucumber sticks.
4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if the pan is crowded.
5. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, turning now and then, until the strips are golden at the edges, the juices run clear and the thickest piece reaches 74°C. Move to a plate and keep warm.
6. Wipe out the pan and heat it over medium heat. Cook each paratha with a little oil or ghee for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until crisp, golden and flaky, following the packet if using frozen ones. Keep them wrapped in a clean cloth so they stay soft.
7. Lay a paratha on a sheet of baking paper. Spread 1 to 2 tbsp of the mint-yogurt sauce down the centre, add a quarter of the chicken, then a handful of the onions and cucumber.
8. Fold in the sides slightly, then roll the paratha up tightly, wrapping the bottom half in paper or foil so you can hold it. Repeat with the remaining parathas and serve straight away.

Tips

• Cut the chicken into thin, even strips so it cooks fast and stays juicy; thighs give the most tender result.
• Do not overcrowd the pan. Crowded chicken steams and turns pale instead of browning.
• Spread the sauce on the paratha first, then add the chicken, so the flaky layers do not turn soggy too quickly.
• If the sauce is watery, use strained or hung yogurt to keep the rolls neat.