Chicken tangdi kabab is made from double-marinated chicken drumsticks in a mix of yogurt, spices, and roasted gram flour. A special and rich chicken and cheese filling is also used. These are then cooked slowly in a pressure cooker or oven and served hot with a brush of ghee or butter on top. Go through my easy recipe to learn the steps to make chicken tangdi kabab at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Chicken tangdi kabab is a popular and loved appetizer in India, often served at parties and festive occasions.
- Serve it with green chutney, lemon wedges, or salad.
- Chicken tangdi kabab has a juicy, spicy, and smoky flavor with a rich cheesy filling.
- Other similar recipes are tandoori chicken, stuffed murgh malai kabab, and Afghani chicken kabab.
The Ingredients:
For the first marination of the chicken drumsticks:
- 1 kg chicken drumsticks (tangdi)
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
To make the chicken cheese stuffing:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp green chilies (finely chopped)
- 150 grams chicken keema
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 piece cheese cube (grated)
For the second marination of the chicken drumsticks:
- ¼ cup hung curd
- ¼ cup roasted gram flour
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp chat masala powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves (crushed)
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp red food color
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1.5 tsp salt
To cook the chicken tangdi kabab:
- Cooking oil or ghee (as required for greasing)
This recipe came from the presswala who irons our clothes. One day he mentioned how he helps his wife cook delicious snacks before leaving for work. I found that sweet and asked what he cooked. He shyly shared this recipe with every minute detail, ensuring that I got the authentic taste of traditional kabab.
I made it one morning, and it turned out wonderful. My husband said it had a “pressed perfection,” and the boys said, “Even ironing uncle can cook!” Now, this dish reminds me that food stories are not limited to homes or persons; they are tucked into lives among people we interact with daily, quietly, respectfully, and with warmth.
How to Make Chicken Tangdi Kabab? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Marinate 1 kg of chicken drumsticks with 1 tbsp of yogurt, 2 tsp of lemon juice, and 1 tsp of salt in a bowl. Cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge for 2 hours.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a frying pan and cook 150 grams of chicken keema with 1 tsp of finely chopped garlic and 2 tsp of green chilies, ½ tsp black pepper powder, and ½ tsp of salt for 5 to 6 minutes over a medium flame. Transfer to a bowl when done and let it cool down.
Step 3: Grate a cheese cube and mix nicely with it. Keep it aside.
Step 4: Take out the marinated chicken pieces from the fridge and squeeze out the juice from them as much as possible. Throw the juice away.
Step 5: Make space in the drumsticks with your finger. Pour in 1 to 2 tbsp of the chicken-cheese filling and make two cuts on the opposite side of the filling.
Step 6: Mix ¼ cup of hung curd, ¼ cup of roasted gram flour, 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 2 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ½ tsp of chat masala powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves (crushed), ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 2 tsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp of red food color, 2 tbsp of mustard oil, and 1.5 tsp of salt nicely in a large bowl.
Step 7: Put this paste on the stuffed drumsticks and coat them nicely.
Step 8: Remove the gasket and the whistle from the lid of the pressure cooker. Place a circular stand inside the pressure cooker.
Step 9: Grease a tray with a little bit of cooking oil, place the marinated chicken drumsticks, cover the pressure cooker, and cook over a high flame for about 5 minutes and then on a medium to low flame for about 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 10: Remove one piece with a pair of tongs and hold it on direct flame for final cooking and the tandoori marks on the surface.
Step 11: Your spicy and delicious homemade chicken tangdi kabab is ready. Grease it with ghee or molten butter and serve hot with green chutney and lemon wedges.
Recipe Card
Chicken Tangdi Kabab
Ingredients
For the first marination of the chicken drumsticks:
- 1 kg chicken drumsticks tangdi
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
To make the chicken cheese stuffing:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
- 2 tsp green chilies finely chopped
- 150 grams chicken keema
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 piece cheese cube grated
For the second marination of the chicken drumsticks:
- ¼ cup hung curd
- ¼ cup roasted gram flour
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp chat masala powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp dry fenugreek leaves crushed
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp red food color
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1.5 tsp salt
To cook the chicken tangdi kabab:
- Cooking oil or ghee as required for greasing
Instructions
- Marinate 1 kg of chicken drumsticks with 1 tbsp of yogurt, 2 tsp of lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a frying pan and cook 150 grams of chicken keema with 1 tsp of finely chopped garlic and 2 tsp of green chilies, ½ tsp black pepper powder, and ½ tsp of salt for 5 to 6 minutes over a medium flame. Transfer to a bowl when done and let it cool down.
- Grate a cheese cube and mix nicely with it. Keep it aside.
- Take out the marinated chicken pieces from the fridge and squeeze out the juice from them as much as possible. Throw the juice away.
- Make space in the drumsticks with your finger. Pour in 1 to 2 tbsp of the chicken-cheese filling and make two cuts on the opposite of the filling.
- Mix ¼ cup of hung curd, ¼ cup of roasted gram flour, 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 2 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ½ tsp of chat masala powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves (crushed), ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 2 tsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp of red food color, 2 tbsp of mustard oil and 1.5 tsp salt nicely in a large bowl.
- Put this paste on the stuffed drumsticks and coat them nicely.
- Remove the gasket and the whistle from the lid of the pressure cooker. Place a circular stand inside the pressure cooker.
- Grease a tray with a little bit of cooking oil, place the marinated chicken drumsticks, cover the pressure cooker and cook over a high flame for about 5 minutes and then on a medium to low flame for about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove one piece with a pair of tongs and hold it on direct flame for final cooking and the tandoori marks on the surface.
- Your spicy and delicious homemade chicken tangdi kabab is ready. Grease it with ghee or molten butter and serve hot with green chutney and lemon wedges.
