It’s again the time of the year when we start preparing for the holy month of Ramadan. The best part of this month is the feasting every night and having my whole family involved in making food. I prepare some appetizers in advance, which also include these yummy Jalapeno Chicken and Cheese Samosa. My friend Saba introduced me to these samosas, I love her recipe and made some changes to make mine. You can also check her recipe here.
What is samosa?
A samosa is a popular triangular-shaped snack from the Indian subcontinent, typically filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes meat. Encased in a crispy pastry shell, samosas are enjoyed for their savory flavor and are often served as appetizers or snacks.
Ingredients for Dough
I used spring roll sheets to wrap the samosas, but you can also use homemade dough which is straightforward. It only requires 4 ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, carom seeds (ajwain), and ghee or oil. Use lukewarm water to knead the dough until it is slightly harder than the regular dough we make for roti. It’s important to make the right dough or else it will not be crispy and absorb all the oil while frying. I also have an instant method for samosa wraps if you don’t feel like making dough from scratch.
Ingredients for samosa filling
In this recipe, I’m using a chicken filling that is spicy and cheesy at the same time. It’s not the traditional filling but it’s so delicious that you’ll make it again and again.
The blend of spices and cheese in the chicken filling adds a delightful zing to the dish, creating a unique and utterly satisfying flavor profile. It’s a departure from the traditional filling, but its irresistible appeal will have you coming back for more on repeat occasions.
Chicken
I used thinly diced chicken breast for the filling as I have those on hand but you can also use minced chicken or even boneless chicken thighs.
Spices
The chicken filling has simple spices that include salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin powder. These are the basic spices we usually have in our pantry.
Green chilies and cilantro
Add finely chopped jalapenos towards the end of the cooking process. Mix well and remove from the heat. Adjust the amount of green chilies to suit your taste preferences.
Cheese
As these samosas are called jalapeno chicken and cheese samosas, then cheese is a must in the filling. You can use any cheese of your choice, I used Colby and Monterey Jack mix. I usually get cheese from Costco as it is budget-friendly and then freeze it into small portions to be used when needed.
Can I air fry or bake samosa?
For authentic flavor and crispiness, I prefer deep frying in canola oil but if you prefer to bake then spray samosas with nonstick spray or apply oil with the help of the brush and bake or air fry until nice and crispy. If you choose to fry make sure to fry on medium-low heat so dough can cook properly and get the crunch.
How to store chicken samosa?
Samosas are a perfect make-ahead appetizer for Ramadan or any other party. To freeze the samosas lay them in a plastic or baking paper lined dish and then freeze for 8 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic bag. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to deep fry add in the oil while it is still warm so they get time to thaw as oil is heating up. You can also keep them in the refrigerator for one week.
How to serve chicken samosas?
My favorite way to serve samosa is with green chutney. I also like to make samosa chat sometimes with simple toppings such as chopped tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and imli ki chutney. The day I’m making samosa this is the only thing I serve for dinner because when samosas are in the house no need to make anything else.
Jalapeno Chicken and Cheese Samosa
Ingredients
- 2.3 lbs chicken
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 jalapenos diced
- 2 cups cheese shredded I used monetary and Colby jack
- 1 packet spring roll wraps a pack of 25
For slurry
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Water to make the slurry
For Frying
- 1 cup oil
Instructions
Prepare chicken filing
- Cut chicken into small pieces.
- In a pan add oil and diced onion. Cook for a few minutes then add chicken.
- Cook on high heat until it changes color, then add salt, black pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Cook until all of the water dries out.
- Add thinly diced jalapenos. Remove seeds if you prefer a mild flavor. Turn off the stove and add 2 cup a of cheese now let it cool down.
Shape samosas
- Mix flour and water to make a thick slurry.
- Cut spring roll wrappers into half and roll them according to the directions. Fill in a spoonful of filling and use slurry to hold it in place.
Fry samosas
- You can deep-fry it or air fry until golden and crispy.