How to Make Crispy Chicken & Potato Pakoras: The Ultimate Iftar Recipe

Crispy Chicken Pakoras with a Mashed Potato Twist

Every afternoon during Ramadan, my family faces a dilemma more difficult than the fast itself: 

 "What should we cook for Iftar?"

It is a universal problem. In almost every household, deciding on the menu is the biggest hurdle of the day. It’s a delicate diplomatic dance—if one person agrees on a dish, another will inevitably oppose it. We could spend hours debating recipes, and the conversation would still prolong until the final hour.

Yesterday, tired of the back-and-forth, I took a gamble. I decided to make Chicken Pakora for the first time.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. We’ve all had those "first-time" kitchen disasters where the coating falls off or the chicken stays raw. But to my surprise? They turned out incredible. They were crunchy, flavorful, and—most importantly—everyone actually agreed they were delicious.

Since I managed to crack the code on a "universal crowd-pleaser," I wanted to share the recipe with all of you.

Recipe: Crispy Chicken & Potato Pakoras

Ingredients

• Chicken: 250g (boneless, cut into small cubes)

• Potatoes: 4–5 medium (boiled and mashed)

• Spinach: 1 bunch (پالک کی گٹی), finely chopped and washed

• Gram Flour (Besan): 1 cup (adjust as needed)

• Spices & Aromatics: Salt, red chili powder, and turmeric (to taste). Optional: Ginger-garlic paste.

Method

1. Prepare the Base: Start by cutting the chicken into small, bite-sized cubes. In a large mixing bowl, add your boiled and mashed potatoes.

2. Combine: Add the chicken cubes to the mashed potatoes. Pro-tip: It is better to use a spatula or a large spoon for this step, as the mashed potatoes can be quite sticky and hard to handle with your hands.

3. Season: Add your spices and aromatics. If you aren't a fan of ginger-garlic paste, feel free to skip it—the recipe will still taste great!

4. The "Spinach Secret": Add the gram flour (besan) and the chopped spinach. Mix everything together, but do not add water yet. 5. The Resting Period: Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes. Since the spinach was washed, it will naturally release its own water. If you add water too early, the batter will become too thin and difficult to shape, and the spices won't "activate" properly.

5. Adjust Consistency: After 5 minutes, check the batter. If it still feels too dry, add a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach a thick consistency.

6. Fry to Perfection: Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Drop small portions of the mixture into the oil. Let one side cook for 2–3 minutes, then flip.

7. Serve: Continue frying until they are a beautiful golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.

Enjoy your crispy Chicken Pakoras! Bon appétit!

"If you’ve been nervous about trying a new recipe for Iftar, take this as your sign to go for it. I wasn't expecting these to turn out so well, but sometimes the best meals come from a bit of kitchen bravery. If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and tell me how it turned out!"