Chicken Samosa: the easy recipe for a favorite Indian snack

Chicken samosas are a wildly popular Indian street food that people enjoy as a snack or appetizer. During Ramadan, samosas are a favorite way for many people to break their fast at the end of the day but are enjoyed all year round thanks to their amazing flavor. Filled with meat, vegetables, or chicken depending on regional variations across India and South Asia, they're deliciously spicy and savory.

Unlike classic samosas, this simple chicken samosa recipe is filled with mouthwatering minced chicken seasoned generously with common Indian spices like garam masala, cumin, and chili powder and wrapped in crispy, flaky golden pastry. They're perfect for making ahead and serving at parties but are so good, you'll probably want a constant supply on hand! Here's how to make homemade chicken samosas.

Chicken Samosa Ingredients

The secret to delicious, authentic-tasting samosas is the ingredients. The wonderful array of spices used to season the samosa filling helps give these tasty snacks their irresistible flavor. You'll need ingredients like ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, chili powder, and ground coriander to help flavor the chicken. Making the dough for your samosas is easy and calls for a few pantry staples. Just take some flour, salt, oil, and water and mix it together.

How to Make Chicken Samosas

While they may look tricky to make, homemade chicken samosas are quite easy. First, you'll need to make the dough. Mix the salt, flour, and oil in a large bowl, then slowly pour in the water until the dough comes together. Roll it into a ball then cover it with a damp towel and leave it to rest for about half an hour.

In the meantime, make your chicken filling. Saute the onions, garlic, ginger, and salt, cooking them until the onions begin to soften. Stir in the chicken and spices and let it simmer away on your stovetop for about 10 minutes. Pour in the peas and cook the mixture for another 5 minutes, then give it a taste and make any adjustments the dish might need then take the pan off the heat.

Cut the dough up into 6 pieces then roll each piece into an oblong and cut it in half to make a crescent shape. Form a cone with the dough and fill it with the chicken, then seal it up. Now all that's left to do is fry them! Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and fry the samosas until they're golden brown. Pop them on paper towels to drain then serve them with chutney or cilantro mint sauce.

How to Bake Chicken Samosas

To bake your chicken samosas, preheat your oven to 375°F. Make the samosas as outlined in the recipe then bake them for 20 to 25 minutes. For a deeper color, you can brush them with ghee or water before putting them in the oven.

Tips for Making Easy Chicken Samosas

– Make your samosa dough up to 2 days in advance to cut down your cook time.

– In a rush? Use store-bought wrappers instead of making the dough from scratch. You can also use leftover butter chicken or tandoori chicken for a simpler samosa. Shred leftover chicken before frying it with the onions and spices.

– To make vegan samosas, use potatoes or your favorite vegan meat substitute to make your samosa filling.

– When frying the samosas, work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. This will ensure they cook evenly.

Chicken Samosa Variations to Try

Filling-wise, there are so many tasty variations you can try. Add nuts, raisins, or fresh herbs (try fenugreek or cilantro), to your chicken filling mix. Play around with the amount of spice in your samosas to make them fiery hot or milder, or add in some of your favorite seasonings.

What to Serve with Chicken Samosas

Chicken samosas are usually enjoyed as a snack or appetizer with some chutney or mint sauce as a dip. Serve them with rice or salad to make them into a delicious meal.

How to Store Easy Chicken Samosas

Keep leftover chicken samosas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or microwave before serving.

Instructions

Whisk salt, flour, and oil in a large bowl.

Gradually add in the water to form a dough.

Once you have a workable dough, roll it into a ball and cover it with a damp towel and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, ginger, and ½ teaspoon of salt then saute for 2 minutes.

Stir in minced chicken, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Saute the chicken mixture for 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the garam masala and peas, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chilis and remove from heat.

Divide the dough into 6 balls.

Lightly flour a work surface then roll out the dough into a thin oblong.

Cut it in half lengthwise.

Form a crescent shape. Place one half in your hand and dab the edges with water and seal the edges to form an open cone.

Spoon in 2 tablespoons of the filling.

Next, seal the samosa.

Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining dough.

Pour 3-inches of oil into a Dutch oven. Heat to 200°F. Fry the samosas for 15 minutes, or until golden brown, making sure to work in batches. Turn the heat up to high and fry for 4 to 6 more minutes, or until the samosas turn deep golden brown.

Remove and set on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Notes

Use a candy thermometer to read the temperature of the oil before frying your samosas.