You’re going to love these easy chicken frankies. Cook them in under 30 minutes!
Chicken frankies are a popular street food from Kolkata but they are also hugely popular all over India. As Indian recipes go, they are quite simple to make. In this recipe, you will make chicken frankies that taste just like they do in India and you don’t even need to make parathas. These chicken frankies are prepared with tortillas or chapatis and they taste amazing!
If you do try this frankie recipe, you are going to want a couple of sauces to slather over them before rolling them up. I highly recommend mint and coriander chutney, tamarind sauce and/or mint sauce.
What are chicken frankies?
Chicken frankies are a wrap similar to a burrito and they are street food at its very best. Usually, parathas are used for the wraps but they can be difficult to get right. So here I have used shop-bought tortillas which are fried and then topped with a thin layer of egg before wrapping up the chicken filling.
You can really get creative with the fillings, topping the chicken frankies with salad veg and different chutneys.
Is it easy to make these chicken wraps?
Sure is! All you need to do is marinate the chicken in a simple but delicious marinade. Then you fry the chicken with onions before adding water to let the chicken simmer for about 15 minutes.
The fried tortillas are easy too. Just fry them in a little oil on both sides. Then add a little beaten egg to the pan and place your fried tortilla on top. Take both out of the pan and wrap up that tasty chicken to serve.
How long can you keep chicken frankies?
These will keep in the fridge for at least 3 days. They are perfect for quick lunches as all you need to do is take one out and heat it up in your microwave.
Can you freeze chicken frankies?
Yes and no. You most definitely can freeze them but the egg isn’t as good once frozen. I recommend freezing the cooked chicken.
Then all you need to do is let it defrost before heating it up in the microwave. Then just prepare the tortillas or chapatis as demonstrated below.
Can you upscale or downscale this recipe?
Yes and it’s very easy to do so. Just double or halve the ingredients. If you are adding the additional chilli powder, you may not want to double that. Just add it to taste.
Step by step photos
Get all your ingredients together before you start. It’s easier that way.
Place the chicken and whole chillies in a bowl and stir in all of the marinade ingredients. Allow to marinate for about an hour if you can or just go strait to cooking.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Then add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and fry for about 5 minutes.
Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and ginger paste. If you like spicy dishes, add some more chilli powder to taste.
Add the marinated chicken and chillies and stir it all into the fried onions.
Fry the chicken to brown it some and then add about 250ml (1 cup) water.
Place the lid on top and simmer for 15 minutes. Then lift the lid and continue simmering until most of the liquid has evaporated.
While your chicken is cooking, you can start working on the wraps. Add oil to your pan and place a tortilla on top to fry.
Flip the tortilla over to fry the other side. It should puff right up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and keep warm.
Add a quarter of the beaten eggs to the pan and swirl it around to make it as thin as you can.
Place one of the fried tortillas on top and cook for another 20 seconds. Then transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining eggs and tortillas.
Top with a good mound of the chicken. You can also add salad veg and chutneys. I added mint chutney and tamarind sauce.
Fold over one side and then wrap it all up into a burrito or frankie.
All done! Enjoy.
PRO TIPS
- Be sure to taste and adjust. I used a lot more chilli powder than called for, for example, because I like my chicken frankies spicy.
- Use a non-stick frying pan to cook the egg. It’s a lot easier!
- Serve hot, right out of the pan. Although these frankies can be and are often eaten at room temperature, they are much better hot.
Want to try a couple more delicious wraps?
If the answer to that is yes, then I highly recommend doner kebabs and also Greek pork gyros!
Chicken tikka is also delicious served up in a wrap. Try these chicken tikka recipes and build a masterpiece wrap. You might also like to wrap up this amazing lamb keema!
Chicken Frankies
Ingredients
- 700g (1 1/2 lb.) chicken breast or thigh meat, thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 2 – 3 green bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced or left whole
- 1 tsp each of ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, amchoor (dried mango powder), anardana (pomegranate powder) and chaat masala.
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder plus more to taste if you like it spicy
- 125ml (1/2 cup) water
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
- FOR THE MARINADE
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- FOR THE WRAPS
- 4 large tortillas
- 4 tbsp ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- 4 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Place the sliced chicken in a bowl with all of the marinade ingredients. Stir well to combine and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. It you’re in a rush, you could just go straight to cooking.
- When ready to cook, heat the oil or ghee in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the sliced onion and fry for about 7 minutes or until soft, translucent and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste along with the chopped or whole chillies and then add the ground spices.
- Give this all a good stir and then add the marinated chicken and stir some more until the chicken is completely coated with the sauce. Continue frying until the chicken begins to turn white on the exterior and then add the water and chopped coriander (cilantro).
- Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Give it all a good stir and then continue cooking, covered for another 10 minutes. Taste it and add more salt if needed. Take the lid off the pan and carry on simmering until almost all of the liquid has evaporated but the chicken is still looking nice and juicy. Set aside.
- To save time, you could prepare the tortilla wraps while the chicken is simmering. I recommend using a non-stick pan for the wraps if you have one. Heat a quarter of the oil in your pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add one of the tortillas and let it lightly brown for about a minute. Then flip it over to brown the other side.
- The tortilla should puff up as it cooks which is normal. Transfer the fried tortilla to a plate and repeat with the remaining tortillas. Keep warm.
- Now add a quarter of the beaten eggs to the pan and roll it all around in the pan to make it as thin as you can. You can swirl it onto the sides of some pans which will make it paper thin though this is not necessary. The thin layer of egg will cook quickly so top it with one of the fried tortilla to cook for about 20 seconds and then transfer the egg lined tortilla to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining eggs and tortillas.
- Once your chicken has reduced down to your liking, place one of the egg lined tortillas on a clean surface and top it with some chicken. You could also add sliced onion or other veggies. Add your chutneys of choice and then fold the top over before rolling it all up.
- You’re going to love these wraps! You could serve these the traditional way, wrapped up in paper or foil but that isn’t essential. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken and serve hot or at room temperature. Hot is best!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 696Total Fat: 43gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 253mgSodium: 2551mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 23g