For all chicken lovers out there, I am back with a new recipe which is my super-yummy chicken keema bhurji, a spin-off on quintessential egg bhurji and you will simply freak out on this stunning creation!
We all Indians are well familiar with egg bhurji; that spicy version of scrambled eggs with some crunchy veggies; who doesn’t love that! With that in mind, I decided to make a version of chicken keema bhurji which you can consider a classic spin-off of the popular egg bhurji.
Other than lunch and dinner, I am frequently asked what to make for quick snacks! I know it’s a bit tricky – no one wants to spend hours making a quick-bite, but we all crave for something tasty in the evening after work or school.
Today’s recipe of chicken keema bhurji will fit the bill perfectly! It’s not only simple to make which even the most novice cook can pull off, but also cooks really fast! It’s a perfect recipe for not only a quick bite but also as hors d’oeuvre at your next house party!
What is chicken keema bhurji?
‘Bhurji’ can be literally translated to ‘scrambled’. Egg bhurji is a very popular snack recipe in India, especially in Mumbai. It’s simply scrambled egg sauteed with usual Indian spices, aromatics and some sort of veggies.
Chicken bhurji is a perfect adaptation of egg bhurji where scrambled egg is simply replaced by scrambled chicken i.e minced chicken. Of course you would need to adjust the proportion of all other ingredients as well as the cooking time.
I thought about making this chicken keema bhurji one fine evening when I was craving for something easy & tasty but without breaking a sweat in the kitchen. I haven’t had this chicken bhurji anywhere else, but could imagine how it would taste if we simply took out eggs and put in chicken mince in its place!
Chicken anyways makes anything taste better (strictly from a chicken-lover’s point of view!) and that’s exactly how it turned out to be! Once you make it, I am sure you will repeat it quite frequently!
Serving suggestions for this party-perfect chicken snack
This chicken keema bhurji is extremely addictive on its own! Once you start tasting it, you can’t just stop! Additionally, you can make a whole meal out of it. Here are some of my ideas!
You can wrap a generous amount of chicken bhurji in a wholewheat chapati (Indian flatbread), drizzle some tomato ketchup or any of your favorite spicy sauce on top and your lunch-on-the-go is ready!
You can also create your healthy & balanced meal platter by pairing about 150 grams of chicken bhurji with a good bowl of salad (mix of fresh cucumber, onion, tomato and any green leafs of your choice drizzled with lemon juice, salt & pepper) and a good source of carb like quinoa or brown/unpolished rice!
If you are serving your chicken keema bhurji at your house party, then place a few fresh leaves of baby iceberg lettuce by the side; your guests will love to pack these up with the spicy chicken bhurji and eat them as fancy lettuce wraps! From that moment on you will be known as the Rockstar party host!
Ingredients for chicken keema bhurji
The ingredients list for this one is not too long. If you cook Indian food frequently, I am sure you will have everything handy!
Chicken keema/mince: For chicken mince, you have various alternatives. You can buy pre-minced chicken from your grocer or you can buy chicken breasts, cut them into small chunks and grind them at home.
I personally prefer to use chicken thighs; so I bought boneless & skinless chicken thighs, cut them up into chunks and minced them at home. I do not like pre-minced chicken as I feel they are too brittle for any recipe.
Onion: Finely chopped onions will give a base to the chicken bhurji and add subtle sweetness balancing all the spices. Indian food is big on onion and that’s simply all about balancing flavors.
Garlic & Ginger: The must have aromatics for any Indian dish. Ginger adds warmth and also aids digestion; garlic adds tempting aroma to make you crave for more!
Green chili: Indian food is known to be spicy and this chicken keema bhurji is also no exception. Add as many or as few green chillies as you like! Just chop them finely so they mix with the minced chicken.
Tomato: The base of the masala is tomato sauteed with onion and this is a typical masala for many Indian dishes. You will need about a cup of chopped red tomatoes.
Powdered spices: Spices used in chicken keema bhurji are very basic and this simplicity is the beauty of this dish! You just need turmeric powder, red chilli powder and a dash of garam masala (Check out here how to easily make this quintessential Indian spice mix!).
Fresh coriander leaves. To finish off your chicken bhurji, top it up with freshly chopped coriander leaves which will add a burst of freshness and color!
Oil for frying: You can use any oil of your choice – mustard oil, sunflower oil, canola oil or any vegetable oil. Only try to avoid olive oil; but if you must then at least do not use extra virgin olive oil.
Salt: Round up your delicious chicken keema bhurji with the right amount of seasoning.
How to make chicken keema bhurji?
This one is a very quick and easy recipe. Here is the step by step process which I am sure even the most uninterested cook can follow! 🙂
Step 1: If you have got chicken cubes (breast or thighs) and want to mince it yourself, then first wash and pat dry them thoroughly. Then Put them in a grinder and process until you get a good sticky minced chicken. If you have already got minced chicken, you can start from the next step.
Step 2: Take the chicken mince in a mixing bowl and marinade it with ¼ tsp salt and a pinch of turmeric and keep aside.
Step 3: Heat oil in a wok. When hot, add 2-3 whole garlic cloves and saute for a minute on low flame. Make sure garlic doesn’t burn.
Step 4: Add the chopped onion and green chili. Saute on medium heat for 5-7 mins until the onion turns translucent.
Step 5: Next add ginger paste and minced garlic and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw smell is gone.
Step 6: Once the onion is nicely golden brown, add the chopped tomato and keep cooking on medium-high heat until the pulp of tomato is dried up and starts sticking to the pan.
Step 7: Add the chicken mince now and keep sauteeing on medium heat till the chicken is tender which would take about 10 to 15 minutes. Chicken mince has a tendency to clump, so you may need to break them using your stirring spatula.
Step 8: Now it’s time to add the spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala. Splash a handful of water so that the spices don’t burn. Add salt to taste and mix everything well.
Step 9: Cover the wok for 5-10 minutes till the chicken is totally cooked. Minced chicken cooks quite fast, so keep an eye on it. Uncover and add freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
Step 10: Check the tenderness of the chicken, it should be completely opaque and cooked through. Drizzle juice of half a lemon and your chicken keema bhurji is ready to serve!
More delicious chicken snack recipe from Flavor Quotient
- Chicken keema – 300 gms
- Onion – 2, medium, finely chopped
- Garlic – 7-8 cloves, minced and 2-3 cloves, whole
- Ginger paste – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Red chili powder – ½ tsp
- Garam masala – ½ tsp
- Green chili – 1, chopped
- Tomato – 1, finely chopped
- Fresh coriander leaves – 1 cup, chopped
- Oil for frying
- Salt to taste
- Marinade the chicken mince with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a wok. When hot, add 2-3 whole garlic cloves and saute for a minute on medium-low flame.
- Add the chopped onion and green chili. Saute on medium heat for 5-7 mins until the onion turns translucent.
- Add ginger paste and minced garlic and keep cooking for a couple of minutes.
- When the onion is golden brown, add the chopped tomato and cook on medium to high heat. Saute until the pulp of tomato is dried up.
- Add the chicken mince now and keep sauteeing till the chicken is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Now add the spices – turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala. Splash a handful of water so that the spices don't burn. Add salt to taste and mix well.
- Cover it for 5-10 minutes till the chicken is completely cooked. Uncover and add freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Check the tenderness of the chicken, it should be completely opaque and cooked through. Drizzle a few drops of lemon juice and serve your chicken keema bhurji immediately. Enjoy!
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I really liked your recipe chicken bhurgi. I never knew about chicken bhurjee before reading your post. My family loves non-vegetarian food so your blog is so lovely to me because you blog has helped me a lot to rustle up some delicious meals for my family. Thanks a lot.
That’s lovely! Thanks Nutan! I am so glad I could be of help! Do stay tuned for more! 🙂