These flaky, soft and delicious garlic butter chapati are perfect to enjoy with your curries, stews, and so much more!

why you will love this recipe
- easy to make.
- makes delicious and flaky chapati.
- family-friendly.
ingredients
- all-purpose (plain) flour.
- salt.
- warm water - This helps in binding the dough better, making it more pliable and easier to knead. This results in a softer dough, which in turn leads to softer chapatis.
- butter - this gives the chapati a richer flavor and a softer texture compared to plain chapaties.
- grated garlic.
- cooking oil - we will be using a few tablespoons when kneading as well as when cooking.
ingredient variations
For more fiber-packed chapati, use whole wheat flour or "Atta flour". You can also use a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
If you prefer a vegan version, you can swap butter for margarine or vegan butter.
how to make butter chapati
Begin by mixing all-purpose flour and salt in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine minced garlic with softened butter and set it aside for later.
When I first started with this recipe, I used 4 cloves of garlic. These turned out to be too garlicky so I ended up settling for two cloves.
But, if you feel like using more garlic, then feel free to do so. Don't let me get in your way!
Next, add the garlic butter and mix to combine. Gradually add water to the flour and knead to form a dough.
Continue kneading until the dough is soft, smooth, and pliable. Add small handfuls of flour if it feels sticky. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Once rested, divide the dough into equally-sized balls.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll each ball into a circle about 20cm (8 inches) in diameter. If the dough resists rolling, let it relax for a few minutes, then try again.
Once you have rolled the dough, cooking is pretty easy. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or roti tawa over high heat, then lower it to medium before placing the rolled dough on top.
Cook each side of the chapati until brown spots form and it begins to puff. Flip the chapati and brush the top side with cooking oil. Repeat on the other side, cooking until both sides are evenly browned.
Adjust the heat between medium and low as needed to avoid burning.
Serve the chapati warm with your favorite curry, stew, or gravy. If you’re not serving immediately, transfer to a paper-lined container and cover to keep warm.
serving suggestions
- Curries such as butter chicken, paneer butter masala, or dal makhani, beef tikka masala or chicken masala.
- Thick lentil soups like coconut mung bean curry, dal tadka, dal makhani, or rajma (red kidney bean curry).
- Roasted vegetables like grilled and cooked aubergines, charred tomatoes.
- Pair it up with Indian pickles (achar) and a side of cooling yogurt or raita.
- Enjoy them for breakfast with eggs.
- Use them as a wrap with grilled chicken or vegetables.
how to refrigerate and freeze
Store cooked chapati on your kitchen countertop, in the fridge or freezer as follows:
- Countertop - Keep in a sealed bag or inside a covered casserole dish on the countertop for 3-4 days.
- Fridge and freezer - Transfer to a suitable airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just make sure to keep them in a freezer-friendly bag, get rid of as much air as possible out of the bag then carefully place them in the freezer.
- Freezing the dough - the dough can be made ahead kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure you are using a suitable airtight container.
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frequently asked questions
Chapati is an unleavened flatbread made using all-purpose wheat flour, water, salt and some type of cooking oil, such as butter, ghee or vegetable cooking oil.
It comes with many names such as chapatti, chapathi, chappathi or roti.
Butter chapati is a variation of the traditional chapati and sets itself apart through the addition of butter, which is either incorporated into the dough before cooking or brushed on the chapati after it's cooked.
This addition gives the chapati a richer flavor and a softer texture compared to the basic version.
📖 Recipe
Garlic Butter Chapati
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour (plus 1 cup more, for working the dough and rolling)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups warm water - approximately 110°F or 40° C
- 4 tablespoon melted butter
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 5 tablespoon cooking oil for brushing the chapatis
Instructions
- Mix all-purpose (or whole wheat) flour and salt in a large bowl.
- In a small separate bowl, add minced garlic to the butter, combine and set aside.
- Next, add the garlic butter and mix to combine. Slowly add the water to the flour mixture.
- Knead until you obtain a soft, smooth, and pliable dough. Add flour in small handfuls, if the dough feels too sticky.
- Cover the dough with a clean and damp kitchen cloth or plastic wrap and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Divide the dough into equally-sized balls. Dust a wooden pastry board or your kitchen counter with flour, lightly sprinkle some flour on top of each ball of dough, and use a rolling pin to roll each into a circle of 20cm in diameter (about 8 inches).
- If the dough resists stretching, let it relax for a while and then roll again. Dust with more flour or top with some cooking oil, if the dough sticks to the rolling board.
- Heat a roti tawa or heavy-bottomed pan using high heat. Once hot, reduce the heat to a medium and place the rolled chapati dough on top.
- Cook each side alternating between medium and low heat, until brown spots form and the chapati starts to puff up then use a spoon to flip.
- Lightly brush each side with cooking oil, turn over and allow the buttered side to cook for a minute, or until the chapati has brown spots all over its surface.
- Transfer to a paper-lined tray or container and cover to keep them warm. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Serve with your favourite gravy, curry, or stew.
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