Imagine sinking your teeth into Kolkata Style Chicken Bharta! Tender strips of chicken swim in a luscious, flavorful gravy, all topped with a perfectly boiled egg. This dish is a true Kolkata dhaba treasure, a taste of the city you won't soon forget.

%Chicken Bhorta Recipe Debjanir Rannaghar

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Debjani's Note
My favorite Restaurant serving Chicken Bharta in Kolkata
Kolkata's special Chicken Bhorta!
What makes Murg Bharta special?
Here's the recipe for restaurant-style Chicken Bharta from Debjanir Rannaghar!
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Pairing Chicken Bharta
Mutton and Chicken Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar
Have you tried the Chicken Bharta Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!

Debjani's Note

Chicken Bharta always brings back memories of my college days, specifically when I finished my undergraduate degree and was having a tough time with my Master's program. It was my first time leaving a big city to study Rural Management, and I was living in Kalyani, a suburb of West Bengal. I would desperately return to the city every weekend. Those weekends were a blast, spent with my partners in crime, Sudipta and Sumit Sir. Sudipta is my best friend from college, while Sumit Sir is my "Sakha," and our bond is much like Draupadi and Sri Krishna's. The three of us would frequent our favorite small eateries whenever Sudipta or I were paying, but if it was Sumit Sir's treat, we'd go to a fancier place.

My favorite Restaurant serving Chicken Bharta in Kolkata

Speaking of Chicken Bharta, we used to visit a tiny spot near Jadu Babur Bazar, close to our college, called "Bhoj." That's where I tasted the most incredible Chicken Bharta ever. Though the restaurant is no longer there, I've tried to recreate that same Chicken Bharta, just like the one from our beloved "common Shosurbari (in-law's place, as we used to refer)." We used to think of that place as our future in-laws' home!

Kolkata's special Chicken Bhorta!

The mix of chicken pieces, egg, and rich Indian gravy in Chicken Bharta is always a winning combination for me. While I don't usually love chicken unless it's "Desi Chicken" with its earthy flavor, Chicken Bharta is definitely one of the few chicken dishes I've always enjoyed. The name "Chicken Bharta" or "Chicken Bhorta" likely comes from both North Indian "Bharta" and Bangladeshi "Bhorta," creating a unique and excellent dish that originated in Kolkata, especially in Dhabas. Indeed, the City of Joy boasts its own special Chicken Bharta, influenced by both North Indian and Bangladeshi cooking styles.

What makes Murg Bharta special?

Real Kolkata-style Chicken Bharta is a truly earthy treat. It features boneless chicken pieces cooked with Indian spices and egg, resulting in an incredible dish. The thick gravy gets its main flavor from tempering with Kasuri Methi, Punjabi Garam Masala, and a touch of Tandoori Masala. We owe this wonderful dish to the Punjabi community in Kolkata.

Here's the recipe for restaurant-style Chicken Bharta from Debjanir Rannaghar!

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5 from 6 votes

Chicken Bharta | Kolkata style Chicken Bharta

Kolkata Style Chicken Bharta, where chicken strips are cooked in a rich gravy and served with boiled egg

Course Chicken

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chicken bharta recipe, chicken bhorta recipe, debjani chatterjee alam recipes, Debjanir Rannaghar, Kolkata-style Chicken Bharta recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings Portions

Calories 647kcal

Author Debjani Chatterjee Alam

Cost Rs 500

Ingredients

1 Kg Boneless Chicken
5 Egg
1 Tomato
4 Onion
1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
1.5 tablespoon Garlic Paste
5-6 Green Chili
2 tablespoon Cashew nut Paste
1 tablespoon Char Magaj Melon Seed Paste
100 ml Hung Curd
50 ml Fresh Cream
1 tablespoon Butter
3 tablespoon Refined Oil

For Tempering:

2 Bay leaves
2 teaspoon Kasuri Methi
1 Red Chili
4 Clove
1 Cinnamon Stick

Spices:

1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Punjabi Garam Masala Powder
½ teaspoon Chicken Tandoori Masala
1.5 teaspoon Salt or to taste

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Instructions

Perfect Kolkata-style Chicken Bharta Recipe

Wash boneless chicken cubes and boil them with ½ teaspoon of salt and water for 5-6 minutes, and strain the water. Keep it separately.
Leave half of the boiled chicken cubes as they are, and cut strips out of the rest.
Roughly chop the Onion and Tomato.
Hard-boil eggs and discard the shells of the boiled eggs.
Take Oil in a deep-bottom pan and temper the oil with Bay Leaf, Red Chili, Clove, Cinnamon Stick, and Kasuri Methi ( for the Kasuri Methi, use ⅔ for tempering).
Now add chopped onion and fry till the onion turns translucent in color.
Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic paste, and green chili, and cook till the oil separates from the mixture.
Now add Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Chicken Tandoori Masala, Sugar, and Salt to taste and cook for 1-2 minutes on low flame.
Add Cashew nut Paste, Char Magaj Paste, Hung Curd, and Fresh Cream, and cook till the nutty aroma as well as the smell of curd are completely gone.
At this point, add both boiled chicken cubes and chicken strips and mix thoroughly, and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of the water that was used for boiling the chicken after covering the pan with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes or till you reach the desired consistency.
Take three boiled eggs and separate the yolk and mash it, and roughly cut the Egg white into long strips.
Add both the mashed yolk and Egg white to the Chicken Bharta and give it a thorough mix.
Now add butter, the rest of the Kasuri Methi, and Punjabi Garam Masala, and mix.
Cut the rest of the eggs into halves and lightly fold with the gravy.
Serve Chicken Bharta with Roti, Naan, or Paratha.

Notes

Tandoori Chicken Masala is optional; however, it gives amazing flavor to the bharta.

Nutrition

Pairing Chicken Bharta

Mutton and Chicken Recipes from Debjanir Rannaghar

More Recipes

Have you tried the Chicken Bharta Recipe from Debjanir Rannaghar!

Please inform me of your experience, and feel free to send a photo to [email protected]. Additionally, you can find me on various social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Google News, X, and Thread. Don't forget to use the hashtag #debjanirrannaghar when sharing your attempts at my recipes or if you have any questions or recipe requests.

About Debjani Chatterjee Alam

I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.