This is one of the most decadent, mouthwatering chicken dishes that I’ve ever posted on this site. It’s a traditional family favorite. Instead of a specific recipe or ingredient list, the term “chicken roast” refers to a cooking technique. It differs from a typical chicken curry as very little water or other liquid is used here, and the meat is mostly cooked in its own juices. Once cooked, the tender pieces of spice-coated chicken are slowly roasted in the hot pan while being scraped off the browned bits. Chicken that is covered with all the exquisite tastes and is dark, peppery, and tasty as a consequence.

When I was a child, I used to request my ma (“mother” in Bengali) to cook this dish almost every other week. Till now, when we all siblings get together, Ma makes this dish and says it’s a basic chicken dish. However, to me, this dish tastes like something from a whole nother world, from a different dimension! Obviously, when my mother cooks it!!

Another reason why this dish feels so special to me is that this is among the very first dishes that I learned to prepare on my own. For this dish, I also learned how to clean a chicken and chop it into pieces when I was a teenager. If you can’t get a whole chicken, you can use bone-in thigh pieces instead. Boneless portions of white flesh on their own will not have the deliciousness. You can also use chicken breast pieces if you prefer.

The best way to cook a chicken roast is in a metal pot with a broad, thick bottom (nonstick pan). This guarantees even browning of the meat and masala and provides you room to stir and scrape up every last bit of spicy delight. I have an old aluminum korai which was given to me by my mom. Though I rarely use it these days, (due to all the research on the risk of cooking with aluminum utensils), I prefer to get it out only when I cook this particular dish.

You can serve this dish with polao, khichuri, or hot plain rice and a simple dal (lentil soup). Also, I sometimes pair this with roti, porota, naan, and dosa. My mother used to combine rice with the masala that was stuck to the pan when I was a child, and the resulting spicy masala rice was simply appetizing! The leftovers are fantastic and probably taste even better, as with any Bengali food.

The ingredient list is fairly straightforward and also very common in our kitchen. We start by frying some finely chopped onion, ginger paste, and garlic paste before adding the chicken and spices, and seasonings. Tender chicken with a thick spicy onion gravy makes this dish more creamy and delicious. The taste of all spices makes the dish sweet, tangy, and tastier.

Enough of waiting, let’s jump into the recipe now! Hope you will love this authentic homely recipe.