Months before I moved into our new house, I knew I wanted to roast chickens and grill more often. With two children who always want food that’s a bit entertaining, cooking extra to have leftover cooked meat ready for sandwiches, pasta bakes, burgers, tikki or stuffed paratha just made sense.
As soon as we moved in I sent my husband to the butcher and he returned with three whole chickens. Assignment: understood.
Over the following days I turned those into three Lahori Charghas—one per day—and nobody complained. Why would they? It’s so good. The kids eat it up, leftovers are useful the next day, and the process is great for prepping in advance: steam first, fry at the last minute for a crisp finish.
I could have made another roast (Jamie Oliver’s roast chicken is delicious), but this Lahori Chargha deserved more time in the limelight.
So here I am, sharing the recipe.
❓ What is Lahori Chargha?
Chargha comes from Pashto and simply means chicken. The Lahori Chargha we know today is a whole chicken that’s been marinated in a tangy, chat-patta mix of spices, steam-cooked until tender, then fried briefly so the exterior crisps up. I’ve kept the spice list here simple so the flavour remains bold without being complicated.
As for the name, the recipe traces back to Lahore, though the word “chargha” is Pashto. I haven’t found a definitive historical link to Peshawar, so if you know more about the origin, I’d love to hear it in the comments.
🥣 How do you make Lahori Chargha?
There’s a video and step-by-step photos to guide you, but the basic process is: marinate, steam, then fry or crisp in the oven/air fryer. The marination combines yogurt, vinegar (or lemon), egg, gram flour and spices. Whisk those together to make a thick paste, then rub it all over the chicken, including deep slashes on the breast and legs to let the marinade penetrate. A medium chicken of around 800g works well; adjust spice quantities if your bird is larger or smaller.
Cover the marinated chicken and refrigerate at least a few hours, ideally overnight. Marination is important: chicken is mild and benefits from time for the flavours to develop.
To cook, steam the chicken first. Use a wide pot and suspend the bird above the base with potatoes, carrots, onions, a trivet, foil balls or a steamer basket so it doesn’t touch the bottom. Add about 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 25–35 minutes. The chicken is done when juices run clear from the thickest part of the leg.
You can pause here and refrigerate the steamed chicken until you’re ready to serve. This makes Lahori Chargha ideal for prepping ahead; just finish by frying, grilling or air-frying right before serving.
For the final step, heat a few centimetres of oil in a wide pan—this is not full deep-frying, just enough to fry one side at a time. Carefully add the steamed chicken and brown it evenly on all sides, using tongs and a spatula to turn it gently. The steamed meat will be very tender so handle with care to avoid scraping the marinade off. Drain on kitchen tissue once crisped.
Serve immediately. A sprinkle of chaat masala elevates the final flavour, or offer chutney or raita on the side.
✨ Bonus recipe… Lahori Chargha gravy!
Don’t discard the steaming liquid and leftover masala from the bottom of the pot—they make a wonderful gravy. Put the juices and any masala into a small saucepan, add a little water if there’s not much, heat, then whisk in 1–2 tablespoons flour to thicken. Adjust water until you have a sauce consistency. Season to taste and keep warm until serving. This gravy helps keep the meal moist without overpowering the chargha’s flavours.
🍟 Another bonus recipe… Lahori Chargha flavoured chips!
After frying the chicken I used the same hot oil to fry chips. They picked up the spices and were addictive. I also mixed some of the dry marinade spices into a seasoning powder and sprinkled it over chips the next day—my daughter asked for “the spicy ones” again. This spice mix would work well on roast vegetables too.
For a small batch of Lahori Chargha spice powder:
🧂 Lahori Chargha spice powder mix:
- 1–2 teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2–1 teaspoon chaat masala (optional)
🔥 Oven + air fryer instructions
If you prefer not to fry, you can crisp the steamed chicken in the oven or air fryer.
Oven
After steaming, place the bird on a foil-lined tray and broil/grill for about 8–12 minutes per side, watching closely so it browns but doesn’t burn.
Air fryer
An air fryer works well—about 20–30 minutes depending on your model. Check for even browning and adjust time accordingly.
🍽️ Serving suggestions
Lahori Chargha is versatile. Serve with naan, roti, rice, chips or potatoes, plus a fresh salad and sauces. I love it with a simple vegetarian pilau, salad and chips; achari aloo or a cooling raita also pair beautifully.
Enjoy, with love!
📋 Recipe
Lahori Chargha
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, skin off (about 800g)
- 2 tbsp full fat yogurt (40g)
- 1.5 tsp red chilli powder (less for mild)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp cumin powder or seeds
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp gram flour
- 1 egg (raw)
- 7 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
- Small chunk of ginger, minced (about 1 tsp)
- Oil, as needed for frying
- Chaat masala, optional (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Whisk or grind all ingredients except the chicken, chaat masala and frying oil. Rub this mixture all over the chicken, paying attention to deep cuts. Marinate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Prepare a pot with a trivet—potatoes, onions, carrots, foil balls or a steamer basket will work—to keep the chicken off the base. Add 1/2 cup water, place the chicken on the trivet, cover tightly and steam on low for 25–35 minutes until juices run clear from the thickest part of the leg.
- Rest the chicken for about 15 minutes before frying or finishing.
- Heat a few centimetres of oil in a pan. Once hot, carefully add the chicken and fry, turning to brown evenly on all sides. Use tongs and a spatula to avoid losing the marinade.
- Remove the chicken and drain on kitchen tissue. Sprinkle with chaat masala if desired and serve warm.
Notes
If you want a deeper red colour, use paprika or Kashmiri red chilli powder.
For a milder result, reduce red chilli powder to 1/2 teaspoon.
Other recipes you may like
Chicken Bhuna | Chicken Karahi | Palak Chicken | Chicken Jalfrezi