Chicken Samosa

This is my mum’s family-famous chicken samosa recipe I’ve been obsessed with forever. The filling is lightly spiced and so fresh, packed with chicken and herbs.

And there’s this one secret, unusual ingredient that gives the samosa just the right amount of zing. Big yaay for all that crunchy, crispy goodness!

My heart and pocket ache when I pay $2 for a decent chicken samosa at a restaurant because making them at home costs just a fraction. And that's exactly why I always keep a stash of these crispy, delicious chicken treats in my freezer all year round.

I fry these when I’m pressed for time and need something quick for guests, or when I’m craving an afternoon snack, late-night munchies, or tea time bites, or just something comforting on a cold day.

These little gems have graced my iftar table, eid celebrations, parties, and potlucks. I’ve even shared them with my non-desi friends to show that our cuisine is more than just chicken tikka masala and butter chicken.

I know, I know, folding samosas can feel intimidating, but when you get into the groove, it’s oddly satisfying, I promise. And after you get done with that first batch, it’ll probably become something you can do without even thinking, maybe even while binging your favorite TV show.

Pre-cooking notes

I want to make the process of making samosas simple and approachable for you, help you master all the tricks, and help you avoid the several mistakes I’ve learned from. So, before you begin cooking, read through all these notes.

• If you're using store-bought frozen patti (aka samosa wrappers/leaves/strips), leave them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature to thaw. Also, when you buy a pack, make sure there’s no ice in it as that would be a sign of a freezer burn.
• This recipe makes 50-60 samosas, but it's a good idea to have extra pattis on hand. Some wrappers may already be torn and unusable, and if you're new to folding, you might make mistakes, so having extra wrappers will be helpful.
• When you start making samosas, cover the wrappers with a damp cloth to keep them from drying out while you work.
• Filling should be dry, excess moisture will make the samosas soggy. Cook the chicken until all water has evaporated.
• You can easily find regular samosa patti or strips at most Pakistani, Indian, or Middle Eastern stores. But if not, you can also use square spring roll wrappers from the freezer section at big grocery stores or Asian markets. If you're using spring roll wrappers, check out this video to see how to use them for making samosas.
• I know the amount of mint and cilantro I use might seem like a lot, but it adds a nice, refreshing touch to the filling.
• The secret ingredient I mentioned about earlier is citric acid (or tatri). Citric acid is found in citrus fruits and is usually derived from natural sources, so don’t worry about using it. If anything, it’ll help keep your samosas fresh longer. The reason I use citric acid instead of lemon juice is to avoid adding extra moisture to the filling, since you'd need a lot of lemon juice to get good enough tartness.
• It’s important not to overfill your samosas. About 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of filling per piece is usually enough, and for smaller cocktail samosas, you’ll want to use even less.
• When you're filling and folding samosas, make sure to avoid any air pockets or openings in any of the three corners—those can cause intense splattering while frying.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying, as it will lower the oil temperature and make the samosas too oily.
• To freeze uncooked samosas, lay them on a tray and freeze for a few hours. Then store them in ziplock bags. I also put them straight into the ziplocks sometimes, making sure they are laid flat, spaced apart, and then I carefully place the bags flat in the freezer. With this second method, make sure the samosas stay spaced out once the bag is in the freezer, so they don’t stick together.
• FYI – I find that samosas fried straight from frozen taste better, turn out crispier, and splatter less. The filling stays securely inside, even if the folds aren’t perfect, preventing any leaks during frying. Plus, there’s no need to thaw, they can go straight into the hot oil.

A visual guide for making chicken samosas

This is one of those recipes where step-by-step photos really make a difference, and so I’ve included many more images than I usually do. That said, feel free to use your own folding method if you’ve got one you like. Also, I’ve added a video link later in this section that you might find useful.

First, blend the ginger and garlic into a paste.

Put oil in a large non-stick pan/pot over medium heat. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add the ground chicken (chicken keema) and break it up with a spoon. Once it starts changing color, mix in the crumbled chicken bouillon cube.

Cook until the chicken is done and all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and the citric acid, stir, then turn off the heat.

Let the mixture cool down completely, then add chopped onions, cilantro (hara dhaniya), mint (pudina), green chilies and the remaining mentioned quantity of salt.

Make the binding paste/glue by mixing flour (maida) with water until it’s smooth.

To make the samosa, hold the wrapper with one hand and with the other hand, fold one corner diagonally towards the opposite edge to form a cone shape. Take note of where the top-left corner of the wrapper is in step 7, to maintain the correct alignment while folding.

Put the filling inside the cone. Make sure there are no air pockets, and the pointy tip of the cone is closed properly, without any small openings. Don’t stuff the cone too much.

Next, gently push the filling inside and ensure no filling is coming out.

Hold the two corners of that open side and fold the samosa inwards, like you see in steps 9 and 10.

Finally apply the flour paste with a brush or your fingers on the entire remaining flap of your wrapper.

Fold that flap over the top of the samosa, and you're done.

If you prefer a video guide of the folding process, here's a good short tutorial I found on youtube.

For frying, add just enough oil to a pan to fully cover the samosas. Fry in batches, flip the samosas a few times, and cook until they’re golden brown and crisp.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot with your favorite chutney or sauce.

Serving ideas

I love these samosas with some khatti meethi imli chutney (sweet & sour tamarind chutney) or my green imli chutney. But feel free to dip them in ketchup, chili garlic sauce, mint chutney, sriracha, or any sauce that floats your fried-food boat!

I’d love to hear from you. Drop a rating and comment below to let me know if you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do.

Happy cooking – Nelo