Restaurant Style Pakistani Chicken Chicken Sajji

Finger licking good Chicken Sajji with Rice- a traditional dish turned into something new with fusion of biryani and pulao

Let’s dig in!

So, today I decided to come up with something traditional but with a new dressing. Let’s relive our traditions with this Amazing Chicken Sajji with Rice dish. Sajji is a roadside dish- it is loved by every Pakistani of every age. That charred chicken gulped with spiced rice gives a whole new taste to the dish.

Sajji is a celebrated dish- sitting around a bonfire and eating sajji or overcoming your hunting tiredness with a reward like Sajji is one of the most popular customs. Sajji is a Balochi-originated dish- smoky meat with drops of lemon to cut the charredness.

Table of Contents

What is chicken Sajji with rice?

Sajji as a whole is a high-carbohydrate dish- so extra carbohydrates are not required. So to keep it light Chicken Sajji with Rice is preferred. Chicken is juicy and it makes chewing easy when eaten with biryani or pulao. Chicken Sajji Rice can also be complemented by naan or roti (tortilla) and we can also serve it with raita dip, boiled potatoes, and pickled salad.

Sometimes Sajji is also stuffed with rice rather than giving rice on the platter. Chicken Sajji is always on the menu of every festive. Mostly Sajjis- make appearances in winters and on Eids- the roasted chicken with rice warms up the environment. So there is no way you don’t want to try this.

Pro Tips For Chicken Sajji With Rice

Small things can make difference so don’t miss anything

Chicken with skin is preferred in Sajji to prevent drying of chicken
¼ teaspoon of saffron can be added to add color to your dish
Marinate chicken with salt and vinegar to spice it up and make it juicier
Marination should be for overnight

Main ingredients for Chicken Sajji

1 kg whole chicken with or without skin
4 tablespoon vinegar
Salt to taste
3 teaspoon garlic-ginger paste
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
4 pieces of cardamom
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

For Rice

2 cups of basmati rice
2 chopped onions
2 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons of cooking oil or ghee
4 cloves of chopped garlic
2 black cardamoms
4 green cardamoms
1 stick cinnamon
10 dates (chopped)

For Garnishes

½ cup of nuts
Few strands of saffron
3-4 sliced chilies
Lemon slices

Step By Step Method TO Make Chicken Sajji

Step 1: Making Chicken sajji

Add vinegar, pepper, and ginger-garlic paste in a bowl and mix them
If you are using skinless chicken then make cuts in it otherwise you can leave this step
Put chicken in a dish (oven proof) then pour the marinade of vinegar made at the initial stage in a bowl. Rub it all over the chicken so that chicken soaks up all the marinade. Cover the dish and place the chicken in the refrigerator overnight
Preheat the oven to 175C/ 350F
Then roast and ground all the spices for 2 minutes. When all the spices are coarse ground add lemon juice
Then rub these spices over the chicken and then place the covered chicken in the preheated oven for 1 hour
Remove the cover and let the chicken bake for 10-12minutes until the color of the chicken changes to golden-brown
Now keep chicken aside and move to the prep of rice

Step 2: Preparation of rice

Boil rice with cardamom, cinnamon and add 2 teaspoons of salt. When rice is done drain out the water
Take a deep pan, and fry the onion until they get medium brown
Once the onions are done, then add garlic, salt, and ¼ cup water and leftover spices from the chicken sajji in the same pan
Let the gravy simmer when its color changes to golden add boiled rice and dates and fry for 2 minutes.
Then add to this gravy milk and saffron and let it cook for one minute then turn off the flame
After one hour, place the chicken on the rice spread and stuff some rice in the cavity within the chicken
Sprinkle some nuts or spices over the sajji to make it look pleasing

Nutrition: 243kcals

Conclusion

Sajji is an ancient and nomadic style dish so it requires variation with time- as now biryani and pulao are being served with biryani and pulao and you can add anything of choice.

Additional Guidelines

Lamb Sajji is most loved- but red meat requires least of overnight margination. And when dealing with red meat use papaya juice so that your meat cooks perfectly.
Cavity and cuts should be made in the chicken- so that all the spices reach inside of the chicken and no part is left bland
Lemon juice must cooperate with sajji as Sajji lacks the element of acidity.
Chicken should be medium cooked so that it remains tender and juicy
Sajji is a complicated dish with so many spices- to lessen your effort packaged spices can be used. Shan or National Sajji Masala can be used to marinate the chicken
To make your dish a palatable one you can also cook your chicken on skewers to add charring taste.
Sajji complements well with kaak a special kind of bread.

Add Ons For Chicken Sajji

How to make kaak bread?

Add 1 packet of yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar in warm water and mix them and let it settle for 10 minutes. To ensure yeast is mixed – make sure a layer of bubbles is formed on the surface of the mixture. In a large bowl add 2 ½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic powder and mix them thoroughly. Then to this dough add yeast mixture and knead the dough for few times, cover the dough and let it rise for an hour.

Once the dough has risen, knead it again. While your oven is being preheated at 200 degrees C. make small buns and roll them in a way you make roti, the rough must be of some specific thickness like ¼ inch. Place this roti on a tray glazed with oil, and place this roti in the oven for 10-12 minutes until small golden patches appear on the roti or kaak.

Tandoori Bread Goes Best Sajji

How to make it:

Sieve 2 ½ cups of flour and add salt and sugar about 1 ½ tsp and 4 tsp respectively.
Glaze the flour with butter. Make a hole in the center of the dough and add 2 tsp of baking powder to the center.
Let the dough settle for 2 minutes.
Then make a soft dough by adding 1/3 cup of milk and some water.
While kneading the dough add 3 tsp of ghee and when the dough is kneaded properly cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest for 3 hours
Now you can carve dough into the shape of naan.
You can sprinkle nigella and aniseeds on the top of the naan
Bake the naan in an oven (like a tandoor) and serve the naan with a glaze of butter on the top.

How to make raita For Chicken Sajji

Add yogurt and salt in a mixing bowl- mix these two ingredients until a smooth texture is formed. Then take a blender put this yogurt mixture with mint and coriander leaves and some green and add salt to taste.

With all ingredients in the blender, blend them for 2 minutes. Then add chopped cucumbers, onions, cumin powder, coriander leaves, and green chilies. Stir gently. Sprinkle cumin powder on top.