Paneer chilla is a crisp, savory Indian crepe made with besan (chickpea flour) and stuffed with a simple spiced paneer filling. It is quick to prepare, while paneer adds extra protein and makes it more satisfying than a plain besan chilla.
It's perfect for busy mornings, post-workout snack or even dinner. I always make it for dinner.
Check out my paneer recipes collection to browse more. Green chutney goes well with this.
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About Paneer chilla
Paneer chilla or cheela, is popular across North India as breakfast or light meal option. This instant version incorporates an easy paneer stuffing with my favorite combination of raw onion, tomato, coriander leaves, chaat masala and lemon juice. Once you make this, you'll see how easy it is to adjust the spices and filling to your taste.
Why I love this?
- It's genuinely filling as well as tasty
- Adds protein
- Feels indulgent but is actually wholesome
- Quick & easy for beginners
So whenever I want a filling dinner, I can stuff paneer and have it. Also makes a great snack for Aj with veggies, after zucchini fritters, I am sure Aj is going to ask me often. I adapted the recipe from Simply Tadka here.
Paneer chilla Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients needed to make paneer chilla.
- Besan - Gram flour - Forms the base for the chilla
- Rice flour - Gives body, adds crispness
- Red chilli powder - For spice
- Cumin seeds - Aids digestion as well as flavour
- Turmeric powder - For it's goodness and colour
- Asafoetida - Gives good flavour
- Cooking soda - For porous texture
For stuffing
- Paneer - Use fresh paneer for soft results
- Onion - Main flavour
- Tomato - Balances taste
- Coriander leaves - Use lots of coriander for flavour
- Green chilli - For spice and flavour
- Red chilli powder - Extra spice
- Chaat masala - Main flavour, saltiness
- Lemon juice - Gives a freshness to the mixture apart from taste
- Salt - If needed
Please check my recipe card below for quantities.
Stepwise photos
1. To start with, soak 1.5 cup paneer in hot water and keep it immersed until soft. Meanwhile chop the ingredients needed.
2. Drain water completely from paneer and crumble it. Add chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, spices, lemon juice and coriander leaves to it. Mix.
3. For chilla, in a mixing bowl, take ½ cup besan, 2 tablespoon to ¼ cup rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, cooking soda, pepper powder, salt, curry leaves and mix well.
4. Add water and make a thin batter.
5. Heat a tawa and grease with oil. Pour the batter first outer circle and then fill it to make a dosa.
6. Let it cook in medium flame and then top it with paneer mixture. If you want green chutney, you can drizzle over the paneer.
7. Once crisp and golden, cover the paneer with the chilli and take out, serve immediately.
Serve paneer besan chilla hot with green chutney as side or just with tomato chilli sauce.
Substitutions & Variations
Besan is ground chana dal flour while chickpea flour is ground chana (whole). But you can use any one of it in this recipe.
Use a teaspoon Ajwain in place of cumin seeds in the chilla.
You can add vegetables like grated carrot, capsicum, cabbage too.
Rice flour can be skipped. But if not adding, I suggest to make the batter thicker.
Swap paneer with Tofu.
Top tips
- Cook in low heat longer for crispy results. Add oil along edges for extra crisp results.
- Have a drizzle of sweet chutney and green chutney for extra taste.
- Soaking paneer ensures it's softness.
Serving suggestion
You can serve Paneer chilla with green chutney or simply a bowl of yoghurt with a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder as side dish. It pairs well with a nice tall glass of Chaas too.
Storage
You can refrigerate the batter for another day. It gets browned fast if you refrigerate the batter. Stuffing also can be refrigerated, but suggest reheating gently before stuffing to soften.
FAQ
Cook in low heat for long time. Ensure the batter is thicker by adding more besan. Adding rice flour gives thick and dense results.
Recipe card
Paneer Chilla Recipe | Paneer Besan Chilla
Ingredients
For Chilla
- ½ cup Besan Gram flour
- 2 tablespoon Rice flour Add ¼cup for crispy & dense results
- ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida Hing
- 1 pinch Cooking soda
- Salt
- Oil 1 teaspoon per chilla
Paneer stuffing
- 1.5 cup Paneer cubes Fresh
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Green chilli
- ¼ cup Coriander leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon Chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak paneer in hot water and keep it immersed until soft.1.5 cup Paneer cubes
- Meanwhile chop the ingredients needed.
- Drain water completely from paneer and crumble it.
- Add chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, spice powders, lemon juice and coriander leaves to it. Mix.1 Onion, 1 Tomato , 1 Green chilli, ¼ cup Coriander leaves, ½ tsp Chaat masala , 1 tsp Lemon juice, ½ tsp Red chilli powder
To make besan chilla
- For chilla, in a mixing bowl, take besan, rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, cooking soda, pepper powder, asafoetida, salt, curry leaves and mix well.½ cup Besan, 2 tbsp Rice flour , ½ tsp Red chilli powder, ⅛ tsp Turmeric , 1 tsp Cumin seeds, ½ tsp Black pepper powder, ⅛ tsp Asafoetida, 1 pinch Cooking soda , Salt, ½ tsp Red chilli powder
- Add water and make a thin batter.
- Heat a tawa and grease with oil. Pour the batter first outer circle and then fill it to make a dosa.Oil
- Let it cook in medium flame and then top it with paneer mixture.
- Once crisp and golden, cover the paneer with the chilla and take out, serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Always cook in medium flame for crispy golden chillas. Also be generous in adding oil. Otherwise it wont be crispy and golden. it will be too dry.
- Paneer quantity can be varied as per how much you want it stuffed in the chilla.
Babooty says
"Instant besan chilla is a crispy creep made with chickpea flour with paneer stuffed to make a filling, tasty and quick breakfast/ snack or dinner."
Its crepe na..Creep is typo error...?
Raks anand says
Oopsi, yes! Updated
Shivakumar Srinivasan says
Thanks for the recipie, turned out lovely as the kids enjoyed it. I just jazzed up the paneer filling by making it like a Paneer Bhurji and adding Sweet Pepper etc and cooking it before stuffin the chilla...Thank you
Raks Anand says
Thank you for your feedback 🙂