Trinidad Chicken Roti
Trinidad Chicken Roti Recipe – Juicy bite-sized chicken and chickpeas enveloped in warm Indo-Caribbean sauce loaded with spices make for an unforgettable meal. This dish comes together in no time and gets everybody excited about sitting around the dinner table.
This dish is one hundred percent approachable despite sounding like something elaborate. You’ll need to gather up several spices, yes, but otherwise, it’s a piece of cake. You simply add everything to a pot and let it simmer.
In fact, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is, especially when the rave reviews start pouring in. I’m not exaggerating when I say everyone loves this dish!
Content…What Is It? |
What Is Trinidad Chicken Roti?
Technically, roti is an unleavened flatbread popular in Indian and Caribbean cuisine. Trinidad chicken roti refers to the curry-like chicken filling that goes inside. This dish hails from Trinidad and Tobago, where the island nation’s inhabitants like to pay homage to their Indo-Caribbean roots. That delivers some insanely good curries and seafood dishes.
And this chicken roti from Trinidad is no exception. Think buttery-rich, spicy chicken without the copious amount of butter. Equally delicious, and maybe slightly healthier? That’s what I’m telling myself anyway. 😜
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – Grab some boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas pack added fiber, protein, and flavor to this roti dish.
- Potatoes – Cubed potatoes add substance and texture to this meal. They also taste divine slathered in the spicy sauce.
- Chicken Broth – Trinidad chicken roti is saucy! It gets that way, thanks to the chicken broth.
- Spices – This dish is so flavorful, thanks to an amazing list of herbs and spices. Here’s what you’ll need: diced onion, minced garlic, white pepper, thyme, chicken bouillon powder, cumin, smoked paprika, allspice, curry powder, nutmeg, and if you like some heat, a little cayenne powder too. 😅
How to Make Trinidad Chicken Roti
Marinate
- Prep Chicken – Place the chicken in a large bowl or saucepan. Then, add the salt, garlic, thyme, white pepper, and curry powder. (Photo 1)
- Season – Mix the chicken with a spoon or your hands until it is well coated with the seasonings. (Photo 2)
- Marinate – Set it in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
Cook it Up
- Saute – Heat a large saucepan with oil. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, cumin, allspice, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and curry powder, and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. The onions should be translucent.
- Chicken – Next, toss the chicken into the pan. Sauté everything for 2-3 more minutes. (Photo 3)
- Simmer – Finally, add chickpeas, chicken bouillon, potatoes, cayenne, white pepper, and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer until the sauce thickens, which might take about 20-30 minutes. (Photo 4)
- Serve – Taste test and adjust the salt, spiciness, and thickness by adding more broth as needed.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different cut of chicken. Any cut of chicken will work in this dish. Just debone it (if needed), cut it into bite-sized pieces, and proceed.
- Make it vegan. Skip the chicken altogether and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegan roti. Just make sure you double or triple the chickpeas.
- Add extra veggies. Feel free to add peas, carrots, or any other veggie you love that tastes great in curry.
Tips and Tricks
- Add a little chicken broth if you notice the chicken sticking and starting to burn.
- Cut up the chicken before you marinate it. That way, the spices have even more area to penetrate and can add plenty of flavor.
- Get all your spices together before you start sauteing. Otherwise, you might burn the onions, garlic, and chicken as you poke around for the seasonings. (It’s a long list, as you probably noticed.) 😆
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make the chicken roti, let it cool, and store it in the fridge for up to three days before serving. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Reheat thawed roti on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. The same goes for leftovers.
What Goes With Trinidad Chicken Roti
Serve chicken roti with Buss Up Shut—Paratha for a more authentic take on this Trini dish. It also goes great with a steamy bowl of garlic rice and fried plantains or some Jamaican rice and peas. Wash it down with some sorrel drink, especially if you made it extra spicy. ❤️🔥
More Mouthwatering Trinidadian Recipes to Try
This blog post was originally published in April 2017 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos
Trinidad Chicken Roti
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5kg) chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ½ teaspoon (1g) white pepper
- 1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) curry powder
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) chicken bouillon
Chicken Roti
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) canola oil (more if needed)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- 1½ teaspoons (3g) thyme, fresh or dried
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons (3-4g) smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground allspice
- 2-3 tablespoons (14-22g) curry powder
- 1 teaspoon (2g) ground nutmeg
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
- 1 tablespoon (10g) chicken bouillon
- 2 cups (260g) cubed potatoes
- ½-1 teaspoon (<1-2g) cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
- 3-4 cups (700-950ml) chicken broth
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place chicken in a large bowl or saucepan, then add salt, garlic, thyme, white pepper, and curry powder.
- Mix chicken with a spoon or your hands until well coated. Set aside in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to cook, heat a large saucepan with oil. Add onions, garlic, thyme, cumin, allspice, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and curry powder. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Then add the chicken, stir, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add chicken stock if necessary to prevent burning.
- Next, add chickpeas, chicken bouillon, potatoes, cayenne, white pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens (it might take 20-30 minutes).
- Adjust with salt, pepper, and broth for taste and consistency.
Tips & Notes:
- Add a little chicken broth if you notice the chicken sticking and starting to burn.
- Cut up the chicken before you marinate it. That way, the spices have even more area to penetrate and can add plenty of flavor.
- Mise en place is essential, so tet all your spices together before you start sauteing.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Hello, I made this tonight for my family and I have a question. The sauce did not thicken enough despite cooking for 35 minutes (rather than 20-30). I used 4 cups of chicken broth and wondered if I should use 2? My wife also though perhaps putting some of the cooked potatoes and chick peas in a blender and then mixing back in.
The spices and taste were perfect.
Please share your thoughts.
Try 1/4 cup of COLD water and a few tbs of corn starch, stir it into a slurry and add as needed. You will see it begin to thicken in about 30 seconds or less. Happy cooking! (Won’t change the flavor)
Hello, I made this tonight for my family and I have a question. The sauce did not thicken enough despite cooking for 35 minutes (rather than 20-30). I used 4 cups of chicken broth and wondered if I should use 2? My wife also though perhaps putting some of the cooked potatoes and chick peas in a blender and then mixing back in.
The spices and taste were perfect.
Please share your thoughts.
The bread/wrap that goes with this dish – do you buy it or make it? Do you have a recipe for that?
Yes, I do. You can check the paratha recipe here >>> https://www.africanbites.com/paratha-buss-shut/ . Enjoy!
I found Roti wraps pre-maid in the store which were pretty good. In a pinch, whole wheat tortillas also work well.
This is the best recipe I’ve found for Chicken Roti. Fresh ground nutmeg and allspice berries really make a difference to the flavour.
Would it make sense to add scotch bonnet instead of hot sauce ? We love the taste of scotch bonnet …
AMAZING!! I cooked this exactly as the recipe stated and it is epic. Will be making weekly and sharing with everyone I know! Made with the busted up shirt roti….perfect!
Now you got me wanting to make this over the weekend. Happy holidays, Melinda! Thank you for dropping by.
I found your site looking for bust up, and something to go with it for Mother’s day tomorrow. I can’t wait to make them both. You make cooking look so simple. Thanks for helping me keep my Kitchen Crown with recipes like this.
Awww, thank you so much, Brandy! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you. Happy cooking! 🙂
I made this dish three weeks ago, following the recipe strictly. It is a fantastic dish. So fantastic I am making it again this weekend!
Regarding the cooking: I live in a high-altitude area (4,000 ft). To get the sauce to thicken I cooked it for 15 minutes covered, then uncovered it and cooked it for a final 20 minutes.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for making this recipe available!
Thank you so much for your input, Lawrence. So glad it turned out great for you and thank your for the time. Happy cooking!
This is a great recipe! I have made this many times for my partner and our family members and it tastes sooo good. whether as suggested the name of it might not be correct! Its bloody awesome regardless
Thanks ! So happy to hear this.
This is a delish recipe! Thank you so much
Wonderful ! Thanks for the feedback!
Hi, I don’t see any onions listed in the ingredient list??
What knd of onions do you use?
It’s listed . The third ingredient on the list – yellow onions works just fine
I couldn’t be happier to have found this recipe. Chicken roti has been my favourite dish for years now. There was a restaurant in Montreal where I live that made a Roti so good I would go nearly every week or daily if I was working close by. Sadly it closed permanently. I’ve tried every Roti spot i could find hoping to eat one as delicious… no luck. Then a friend made some using this recipe, PERFECT! thank you for bringing this delicious meal back to me. Tonight will be my first attempt.
Oh thanks Xav! Thank you so much for taking time out to share your thoughts with me. Am sure you are going to nail it. Happy Cooking!!!!
I was just looking at your Chicken Roti. It looks delicious, I have one question, what do you use for the wrap? I didn’t see any mention of that. Please let me know.
Thank you
Janice
I used this . However, you can use any flat bread you have on hand . Here’s another one . Tortillas work as well.
Made this today and it was wonderful! This recipe is a keeper!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
Thank you for this recipe. I volunteer at a guest house and we have several families that love spicy food. I do have a question. There’s garlic listed for the marinade for the chicken. then when prepping it says to “add the onions, garlic …… but there’s no garlic listed in the ingredients for the prep of the roti. How much garlic do I add to this part of the recipe? thanks.
About 1/2- 1 teaspoons garlic would do just fine.
I’m so excited to make this dish! Question – you mention garlic in the marinade and then again in step 4 when cooking, however I don’t see garlic listed in the list of ingredients for the roti, just the marinade. How much garlic do you add with the onions etc. once the cooking starts? Thanks a lot!
Hi Katrina! You add 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Happy Holidays!!!
My Caribbean food game is pretty tight, even though I’m a white guy from Canada, haha. Jerk chicken, sure, I make my own habanero hot sauces, and I’ve even made patties from scratch. but this was a true pleasure. really really good, thank you.
I can see myself making this again lots of times, and for more guests to impress.
this recipe was perfect for a colder november sunday dinner, thanks for making me look good.
Damon
Aww thank you Damon! My pleasure! So glad to hear it’s going to be on a dinner rotation. Happy Cooking!!!!
Iv been wanting to recreate a chicken curry a friend from Trinidad use to make when I was a girl. It was the yummiest food on the planet iv never forgot it. I found this recipie in the hopes of it being that one, and while it wasn’t it was the yummiest meal iv ever made!! I’m back to do it again after a couple weeks and for good friends coming to dinner. This one you’re gonna wanna do in about Tripple batch cause you’ll crave it every day for a week!! Definitely make the roti. I did it perfect my first time ever from this recipie.
Totally!!! I crave this like CRAZY. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Glad to hear it’s going on a menu rotation.
This looks amazing, so I’m making it tonight, and I’m SO excited! I have one question: 1.5 tsp smoked paprika is on the ingredients list twice. Is it just 1.5 tsp, or is it 3 tsp total? I’m assuming just once, but I love spices, so I don’t want to miss out on anything if it’s supposed to be doubled! Thanks for this great recipe!
I love paprika and usually cook with more than the required amount. 1 1/2 teaspoons does the job here. Add some more if desired . It adds a deep rich color and flavor too. Happy Cooking!!!
Thanks so much!! I made it with the 1.5 tsp, and it is AWESOME!! This is definitely going into the meal rotation!!
I have been making curry chicken for years with just the curry powder. However, I used you recipe this week and I an never going back to my old way. The spices in this recipe really made a huge difference. The flavors were orgasmic. My family and colleagues love it tremendouly! Now they want more. Thank you for sharing!
Orgasmic? Yes!!! So happy to hear it was a hit with everyone. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me.
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I made it this weekend followed everything exactly except I used chicken breasts. It was delicious and my entire family loved it. I also used your chapati recipe to make chapati to go with it. Perfect!
Thanks for the feedback Ashley.