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Chicken Keema Pav

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Click here to watch me prepare this recipe on my IGTV.

It’s not every day that we add a recipe into our weekly rotation but this Chicken Keema has made the cut into the lineup for good reason! Keema or qeema is a dish that traditionally gets made with mutton, beef, or lamb and is popular across not just India but also Pakistan & Bangladesh. I imagine over time the word “keema” started to also refer to any type of meat or eggs being minced finely. There’s egg keema (which we make in my Guju household often), chicken keema, lamb keema- you get the point! Most of the keema pav I’ve had has always been with lamb, and although it’s one of my favorite dishes- I find ground chicken to be much easier to find these days!

I’ve added this Chicken Keema Pav to the weekly rotation of recipes in my own home because it’s fairly easy to make and packs sooo much flavor! My husband is a HUGE fan and it’s absolutely great to meal prep and keep in the fridge for a few days!

You could make this mixture for quesadillas, stuffed peppers, throw it in a cheesesteak or just eat it as is with some deliciously buttery pav!

Few Things to Know Before You Make Chicken Kheema Pav:
  • I love using whole spices in any bhurji/kheema recipe because the flavors really permeate the meat but if you don’t have some of the whole spices I’ve listed, they can easily be omitted
  • My recipe calls for minced garlic and ginger- and it’s important to get this as finely minced or into a paste as possible to really blend well with the meat. Ideally grating this by hand or using a mini food processor is perfect.
  • I also use Shan Lahori Fish Mix & Meat Masala in this recipe but again, you can omit these spices. I particularly love the taste of both of these blends and feel it always elevates my meat dishes and gives it something “extra special.” These mixes also have a lot of salt so I wait until the end to taste and adjust salt.
  • I like to sprinkle Achar Masala (aka Methiya Masala) on my keema right before serving because I’m obsessed with the flavor it imparts! We use the Apex Achar Masala from our local Indian grocer.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as my family does! As always, if you make this dish, be sure to tag me in @thechutneylife so I can see all of your awesome creations! Happy Eating <3

Chicken Keema Pav

Chicken Keema Pav

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PREP TIME: 20 mins
COOK TIME: 20 mins
TIME: 40 mins
The Chutney Life

Ingredients


  • 1 lb ground chicken

  • 2 green chilis, finely diced

  • 3 tbsp oil

  • 2 cups finely diced onion

  • 1 tbsp finely minced garlic

  • 1.5 tsp finely minced ginger

  • 2 tsp tomato paste

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

  • 1/2 cup water


Whole Spices:



  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

  • 3-4 black pepper corns

  • 1 black cardamom

  • 1/2 inch piece cinnamon

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 cloves


Dry Spices:



  • 1 tsp cumin powder

  • 2 tsp garam masala +1 tsp garam masala, divided

  • 1 tsp red chili powder

  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1 tsp coriander powder

  • 2 tsp Shaan Lahori Fish Seasoning

  • 2 tsp Shaan Meat Masala


Garnishes:



  • Chopped Cilantro

  • Chopped Red onion

  • Lime Wedges

  • 1-2 tsp Achar Masala

  • Julienned Radishes

Directions

  1. Heat a large skillet with oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add all of the whole spices and let them splutter for 20-30 seconds. Next, add the green chilis and stir. Then, add the diced onions.
  2. Cook the onions on medium to low heat, stirring often for about 5-6 minutes until the onions are starting to look translucent. Add a sprinkle of salt stir, and add the ginger and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they are fragrant but not browning.
  3. Next add all of the dry spices and cook on low heat for a few minutes, stirring often to help prevent excessive sticking. Add the tomato paste. The mixture will be dry and crumbly at this point so to prevent everything from burning, add little splashes of water (from the measured 1/4 cup of water) at a time and mix after each addition of water. Keep adding water in small amounts until you have a free moving saucy paste and nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. (You may need more than 1/4 cup of water)
  4. Now add the ground chicken and with the pot on low heat, keep stirring the chicken and the gravy together, while also breaking up the chicken so it is very finely crumbled. Cover the pot while on low heat and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
  5. After 10 minutes, open the lid, add the cilantro, salt to taste, the remaining 1 tsp of garam masala, and the butter and turn the heat off.
  6. Serve the keema sprinkled with garnishes of diced onion, sliced radishes, cilantro and sprinkle of char masala.
  7. With the keema, also prepare buttered pav (buns) and sprinkle them with small amount of achar masala too!
HI THERE! I’M PALAK

Welcome to this itty bitty corner of my world! My name is Palak and I have, over the span of many years, fell into a romantic love affair with food. Eating it, reading about it, creating it, and of course, TALKING about it. Here on The Chutney Life, you’ll find recipes inspired by the delicious flavors of my mom’s home cooking, with a twist of my own. Thanks for visiting and can’t wait to keep sharing my story with you all!

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