Chicken Roti
Submitted by alkohol
Caribbean chicken roti, curried chicken with scotch bonnet, garlic, and jira folded into homemade flatbread rounds. A Trinidadian-style street food classic that rewards a long marinating session.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
4 hrsCOOK
15 minREADY
4½ hrsChicken roti is the king of Trinidadian street food: spicy curried chicken wrapped in a stretchy, slightly chewy flatbread, eaten with your hands at lunch counters from Port of Spain to Brooklyn. The recipe traces back to the Indian indentured laborers who came to the Caribbean in the 1800s, bringing flatbread traditions that married up with the islands’ fierce love of pepper sauce and fresh herbs.
Don’t shortcut the two-hour marinate on the chicken. The acid-free spice paste needs that long to penetrate the meat, and the curry powder and jira (cumin) bloom against the chicken proteins to create the signature deep yellow color and savory crust. Skipping the wait gives you bland chicken with spices floating around in the sauce.
The Scotch bonnet is the heat backbone, but it’s also fragrant and floral in a way no other chili matches. Use it carefully and remove the seeds for milder heat. Habanero stands in if you can’t find Scotch bonnet, but they’re not interchangeable: bonnets have a fruity sweetness that habaneros lack.
Chef Tips
- Let the dough rest the full 2 hours. Resting relaxes the gluten and lets you roll the rounds thin and stretchy without tearing.
- Roll the pooris on a lightly oiled surface, not a floured one. Caribbean-style roti uses oil for stretch; flour makes them dry and stiff.
- Cook the rounds on medium heat, not high. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside fluffs up; the goal is golden brown with a soft pliable middle.
- Wrap cooked roti in a clean towel as you go. They stay supple and warm; uncovered, they stiffen up fast.
Variations
- Add 1 cup of cooked chickpeas (channa) to the chicken filling for the classic ‘chicken and channa’ version.
- Use bone-in chicken pieces for richer flavor, removing bones before folding into roti.
- Make a goat or beef version using the same spice mix and a longer 90-minute braise.
Ingredients
Directions
To prepare the poori：
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour the oil into the water, then add this mixture to the flour mixture to form a dough. Mix well.
Knead for about 5 minutes until dough is very smooth. Divide into 6 balls of dough. Set aside for about 2 hours, covered with a damp cloth.
Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin flattened circle, a poori, about 9 inches in diameter. Set aside, covered.
To prepare the filling：
Combine the chicken and all the other ingredi-ents except the oil and the garnish. Mix well and marinate for 2 hours or longer.
When done marinating, add 2 tablespoons oil to a saucepan and heat to medium. Add the chicken mixture and cook, stirring con- stantly for about 5 minutes.
Add the water then cook on low for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Keep warm. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet or grill. Place the rolled pooris on the skillet.
Fry each side for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush each side with margarine or oil. Wrap in clean towel to keep warm until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, fold about 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture into each round and serve. Garnish with scallions and Scotch Bonnet pepper.
Comments
Looks yummy, am gonna make it for my family. Cook something different for a change.
It sure looks yummy!