Shadionwala Steam Roasted Chicken

Shadion Wala steam roasted chicken has always been considered a quintessential item on the wedding menus in the central and lower Punjab areas of Pakistan.
With a little apprehension, I am sharing this super easy and very treasured recipe passed down to me from my mother who got it from her mother.
The very spicy yet super delicious roast is generally made in a big cooking vessel called Degh which is normally used to preparing food in bulk for special occasions. Multiple pieces of marinated chicken leg quarters or mini whole chicken are steamed together in one degh for hours, rendering the meat tender and succulent. Just thinking of its flavor has me salivating !

What if you don´t have a degh?
I myself can´t afford having a degh in Germany nor do I have the time and patience to wait for hours, so here is my little tweak on the cooking method: Use a pressure cooker or Insta Pot and eventually broil in oven. 

Does it have to be chicken meat?
Yes! And that too preferably with bones. The larger the pieces, the better.

What to do with the left-overs?
There will hardly be any! Just in case you do end up having any, debone the meat and freeze. It´s ideal for making sandwiches and pastry fillings.

Try and youll be hooked forever! If you have any doubts, watch the step by step tutorial in the highlights of my Insta. Do come back to thank my Nano for the recipe!

Shadiwala Steam Roasted Chicken

Fatima Sadal - Chef on Rhine
Shadion Wala steam roasted chicken has always been considered a quintessential item on the wedding menus in the central and lower Punjab areas of Pakistan. Here is an easy way of recreating it at home.
5 from 18 votes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1,5 kg whole skinned chicken
  • 3 green chilis
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tbsp ginger
  • 2 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tsp roasted cumin powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 tsp black pepper powder
  • 2 Tbsp dried fenugreek kasuri methi
  • 1/2 tsp orange food color zarda rang
  • 2 tsp tikka masala
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp vinegar white or black
  • 3 Tbsp clarified butter desi ghee

Instructions
 

  • Process chilis, garlic and ginger into a fine paste.
  • Add all the spices.
  • Combine together to make a dry spice rub.
  • Cut slits into the chicken meat and thoroughly massage with the spice blend.
  • Sprinkle lemon juice on top. Cover!
  • Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Take 1 cup water in the pressure cooker or Instapot.
  • Add vinegar.
  • Place a wire rack inside the cooking vessel.
  • Carefully place the marinated chicken on the rack.
  • Close the lid and set the valve to "sealed".
  • Set the timer and allow to cook. See notes!
  • Release excess pressure carefully. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish.
  • Apply clarified butter and broil in oven on highest temperature for 5 min.
  • Serve with mint-yoghurt or plum chutney.

Notes

  • You can replace whole chicken with leg quarters.
  • The cooking time varies depending on what cooking vessel you´re using to steam the chicken:
  • Regular cooking pot : 30 - 40 min
  • Pressure cooker: 6 min after the pressure has developed 
  • Instant Pot: 15 min on pressure cook mode
  • Make sure to wait for a min or two before releasing the extra pressure.

3.7 11 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
39 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
aysha
3 years ago

5 stars
helloo i want to try this steam chicken but i dnt hve a wire rack neither an instant pot or pressure cooker so how can i steam in a normal pot.can u explain me thank you..

Nasrin
3 years ago

Add vinegar to the chicken or the water in the instapot??

Hina
3 years ago

5 stars
I was having a really bad craving for Pakistani spicy Chicken roast, looked out so many recipes and finally saw this one. It turned out so well, perfect for my taste buds. Thank you!

Omara Hasani
3 years ago

Skinned is without skin?

Gul e Hasan
3 years ago

5 stars
Soo yummy 😋 and mouth watering . Turned out amazing . It taste same like Pakistani shadiwala steam roast . Fatima your recipes are amazing 😘. This recipe has perfect blend of spices , turned out soo moist , juicy and crisp . Yum yum 😋 do give it a try 😋

Gul e Hasan
3 years ago

5 stars
Perfect recipe with perfect blend of spices .

Mona
3 years ago

5 stars
Hands down, one of the easiest and best steam roast i have tried. The spices compliment so well with the chicken and you can basically pair it with any roasted veggies if not rice.

Johara
3 years ago

Could you bake it in the oven until it’s cooked all the way through and then broil for crispness?

Mahrukh
3 years ago

5 stars
This has become our comfort food now! I just marinate the chicken at night and put it in instant pot the next day and it is done. So tasty and perfect blend of spices. 🙏

Falak
3 years ago

5 stars
I have made this twice and it has always turned out perfect; juicy and flavorful. A definite keeper!!

Farheen Zia
3 years ago

5 stars
Tried this recipe of yours it turned out soooo good.keep going high 😍

Ambreen
3 years ago

5 stars
Thank u so much fatima sadal for sharing ur recipe…Its super yummy n juicy…satisfied the craving and the most important my very picky eater son loved it allhmdolillah…all the time he is eating and appreciating like wahh mumma…bht testy hai,kaise banaya apn ye…ye t bht acha hai…hehehehe
Jazakallah dear..stay blessed

Batool fatima
3 years ago

5 stars
Tried this recipe and It was perfect 👍

Maliha
3 years ago

I am in love with this recipe. Even my while family likes it so much. Thanks a lot for sharing this ❤️

Yumna
3 years ago

I don’t have oven what can I do ?

Rabi
3 years ago

5 stars
Superb recipie I tried it in steamer and it turned out super soft moist and amazing

Sadia Kaleem
3 years ago

5 stars
Thankyou Fatima, for sharing this recipe. I was using the same old Shan recipe for a very long time & needed a change of taste. This was it. Easy to follow, all everyday ingredients, mouthwatering result!! Will definitely try again!!

Aniqs
3 years ago

Do we need to preheat oven?

Nazish
3 years ago

5 stars
This recipe is a keeper and to be passed on to my daughter. It was juicy, succulent with a kick. I didnt have a wire rack or instapot, so i just let the chicken cook on very low fire in non stick pan. It took about half n hr and then lastly added coal smoke to it.

Ai Go
3 years ago

Is it written at 1.5 kg chicken not 5kg right???

Anika S
3 years ago

5 stars
I follow you on a facebook page, but i am SO happy to know you have a blog!! THIS chicken is hands-down my FAVOURITE and most used recipe i have got from the internet ever! Thank you for sharing this. The chicken is sooo flavourful and surprisingly juicy, right into the white meat which is usually drier and bland.
I would love to know how you make rice with the leftover juices, please!

Arooj
3 years ago

5 stars
Turned out amazinggggg💕💕 must try, the chicken was juicyyyy and full of flavour

Aafia
3 years ago

Our favourite goto recipes for so simple yet so tasteful that everyone’s ends asking the recipe. Love to try it for home or parties always comes out perfect.

Maheen
3 years ago

5 stars
Really simple recipe but amazingly good….the chicken is very juicy and tender…and steaming in pressure cooker is a very good idea…

saman
3 years ago

5 stars
Easy, quick and AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! This recipe is super accurate. I can’t believe we just had a shadi wala steam roast sitting all the way in Montréal! Going to be a staple recipe for us. Keto friendly too!

Anam
3 years ago

Hii! What if we dont have the broiling option? What to do then? What is the alternate to broiling?

Farha
3 years ago

5 stars
Hallo Fatima. I tried your recipe of shadion wala steam chicken roast after seeing it on your insta. I always try to make the most of my instant pot and your instructions on how it can be cooked in IP were so easy to follow. It turned out perfect and juicy. My family loved it. Its gonna be my go to recipe now. Thanks!