Notes on Ingredients
All of the ingredients are listed in the recipe card, but here are a few worth talking about: Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! Truthfully, deep-frying seals or “bakes in” the spices in a way that pan-frying can’t, so the taste of this Chargha is very similar to Chicken Steam Roast, which is tender and less crispy than Chargha. (In Steam Roast, the chicken is sometimes fried before marinating and steaming). If using this recipe to make Steam Roast, feel free to use chicken leg quarters in place of the whole chicken. Fun Fact: Ovens weren’t the norm in South Asian households, so most “roast-like” chicken recipes were made on the stovetop.
Choosing a Whole Chicken
Use a small, skinless chicken for better masala absorption and easier pan-frying. Supermarket chickens are usually larger and come with skin; Indo-Pak Halal meat stores often carry smaller, skinless options. (As I’ve previously discussed, chicken dishes are always skinless in traditional Pakistani and Indian cuisine.) If you’re only able to find skin-on, here’s a helpful Youtube video that shows how to remove skin from whole chicken. For easier prep, ask the butcher to make tikka cuts if you’re buying from a Pakistani Halal Meat shop.
Once the breast side has some color and browning, transfer it to your serving tray. In the same pan, add the potatoes and onions. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes, until lightly charred. As for the leftover roasting liquid/pan juices, you can either discard or reduce it in the same pan and serve alongside the chicken as a saucy component.
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
Step 1: Prep + Marinate Chicken
Rinse chicken inside out thoroughly. If you’re not brining, drain and pat dry. Make deep cuts all across the breast and legs, then turn over and make a few shallow cuts on the less meaty side.
Make the marinade, which takes less than 10 minutes. At this point the marinade will taste very sharp – the salt, acid, and heat all too pronounced. This is good because a lot of it will get lost in the process. 👍 Rub the marinade all over the chicken, making sure to get into the cuts and crevices. I like to marinate breast-side down. Not only does it soak in more flavor, but it helps keep the chicken legs intact as the chicken tenderizes in the marinade.
Step 2: Bake (Or Air-Fry – See Pictures below)
Before you bake, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 1-2 hours so that it’s closer to room temperature. Also, be sure to give the oven ample time to heat up.
Roast/Steam: Place the potatoes and onions on a roasting pan (a sheet pan also works), and place the chicken on top. Tie the chicken legs – very important to do this snugly to prevent the chicken from disjointing. Cover with foil to create steam. Roast for 60-70 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through Desi-style – as in, no pink around the joints. When in doubt, it’s better to cook for a shorter time to minimize any disjointing during the pan-frying process. Allow to rest until it’s cool enough to handle – this also makes it less fragile during the pan-frying process.
Air-Fry Option
Chargha cooks beautifully in the Air Fryer. Just be sure to cook longer than you think you need – the breast side takes a while to cook fully. To compensate for the magic of pan-frying, I’ve included an extra step – brushing with a butter and Chaat Masala Tarka. See Recipe for full Air Fryer instructions!
Step 3: Pan-Fry
Once you try this, you’ll realize this is not at all as daunting as it seems. The only tricky part is turning the darn thing. I’ve had great luck with using large tongs to do this. You want to handle it as little as possible.
Once the oil is adequately hot, place the chicken in the pan. Take your time pan-frying the bottom, basting the top and sides of the chicken with the oil. You want some color and browning. Then carefully turn so the breast-side faces the bottom. Cook again, sprinkling Chaat Masala over the back-side of chicken (it’ll be harder to add here later!).
