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Chapati is a popular Indian flatbread that you have to try at least once in your life! Made with only three ingredients, this easy chapati recipe is thin, soft, and puffy. Perfect for scooping up delicious curries and stews or enjoying on its own!
Is there anything better than warm chapati bread straight out of the oven? Well, you don’t even need an oven to make this delicious Indian flatbread! All you need is a hot griddle or pan and some ingredients to enjoy a fresh batch of chapati.
Want to try making more flatbreads at home? Check out my Naan recipe!
What Is Chapati
Chapati, sometimes called chapathi, phulka, or roti, is a staple food in India and many other South Asian countries. It is traditionally served with Indian recipes like curries, stews, chutneys, and stir-fries.
The term “chapati” comes from the Sanskrit word “carpatī” which means flat or thin cake. And it perfectly describes the appearance and texture of this delicious bread!
It is made by mixing three simple ingredients to form a dough: wheat flour, water, and salt. The dough is then rolled into thin circles and cooked on a hot griddle or skillet until it puffs up.
This easy and authentic chapati recipe is from my friend Reem. I have personally tried her homemade chapati and I was instantly hooked on how soft, fluffy, and delicious it was!
Learn more about the types of Indian flatbreads from the MICHELIN Guide.
Which Flour Is Best For Chapati
Traditionally, chapati is made with whole meal flour known as atta in Hindi. It is a finely ground whole wheat flour with a slightly nutty flavor commonly used in Indian cuisine.
What makes atta perfect for chapati is its gluten content, which gives elasticity to the dough. This property makes each piece easier to roll out thin and puff up when cooked.
The amount of damaged starch from the milling process also allows the flour to absorb more water. And that naturally results in a soft and pliable dough. However, if you don’t have access to atta, you can still make delicious chapatis with regular whole wheat flour.
What Goes Into Chapati
- Flour – the best flour for chapati is whole wheat flour or durum-wheat atta. It’s sometimes labeled as chakki atta. You might also see chapati flour at the grocery store, which is a combination of wheat flour and plain flour.
- Water – I like to use lukewarm water as it helps activate the gluten in the flour and makes it easier to roll out.
- Salt – just a teaspoon of salt is enough to enhance the flavors of your bread. It also helps strengthen gluten, which is what we want for this flatbread.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make Chapati Bread
Sometimes compared to a tortilla for its thin, soft, and round shape, chapati is made from whole wheat flour instead of corn. The dough itself is simple, made from only three ingredients.
Making chapati from scratch is all about techniques. And even if it’s your first time making it, you will learn below the exact process and techniques I use in my recipe for a soft, light, airy, and puffy homemade chapati!
Here’s how to make chapati at home without oil:
Step 1: Sieve the flour, add salt, and mix well. Place the flour in a large bowl and add 3/4 cup of the water. Stir gently with fingers in a circular motion until the flour starts to gather.
Pro tip: Add 1-2 tablespoons more flour if the dough looks too sticky. Add more water if it looks too dry and firm.
Step 2: Knead the flour until it becomes soft and pliable and doesn’t stick to your fingers. You can put a little oil on your hand while kneading the dough to help with the kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Pro tip: You may also store the dough in the refrigerator. Just thaw it to room temperature before using it.
Step 3: Once ready to make chapatis, heat the griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal-sized dough balls. Working on one dough ball at a time, roll it on the flour and flatten it a bit with your hands. Transfer the flattened ball to a clean flat surface, and roll it with a rolling pin into a 6-7 inch (15cm-17cm) disc.
Pro tip: If the dough sticks to the surface, dust the surface with more flour.
Step 4: Place the chapati on the hot griddle and cook for 30 seconds or until tiny golden dots appear on the surface. Flip over and cook the other side. Flip over again and soon it will start to puff up. Use a folded kitchen towel and press gently on the puffy chapati to push the air to the flattened part. The whole bread should puff up into a round ball.
Step 5: Transfer the cooked chapatis to a serving platter. You may baste it with a little butter or ghee. Serve immediately.
Cooking Tips
- Adjust the consistency of the dough by adding more water or flour as needed. It should not be too dry or sticky.
- Don’t knead the dough without enough moisture. Kneading dough that’s too dry can make it tricky to roll, and worse, it can become tough after cooking.
- Make sure the dough is soft and pliable before rolling. Poke it with your finger and if it bounces back, it is ready to be rolled out.
- Like other types of flatbread, don’t over-knead the dough as it can make the flatbread dense, hard, and chewy.
- Control the heat while cooking. Too high and your chapatis will brown too quickly, not giving them enough time to puff up. Too low, and they will become flat and tough.
- If your flatbread doesn’t puff up like a ball, don’t worry. It will still taste delicious! Getting puffy chapatis in a skillet may take a little practice, but it’s easier to do on direct flame.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s a lot to be said about the art of making soft chapatis, but the secret is in the dough. Kneading it well and letting it rest enough helps to form the gluten, which makes it soft, pliable, and puffy.
Chapati and roti are both unleavened flatbreads popular in Indian cuisine. Most people consider them the same since they use similar ingredients, but some say that chapati is rolled slightly thinner than roti.
No, chapati is an unleavened flatbread, which means it does not contain baking soda or any other leavening agent. Its softness and puffiness come from steam created during cooking.
The dough should rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This step allows the gluten to relax, which will make the dough easier to roll out.
If your chapati becomes crispy, it has been probably cooked for too long or at too high of a heat. Make sure to cook it on medium to medium-high heat and only for about 30 seconds on each side.
One possible reason could be that the dough was not kneaded enough, which can result in too weak gluten strands. Another reason could be that the dough is too dry, causing it to not have enough moisture to puff up.
The most common reason for hard chapatis is that the dough has not been kneaded enough to develop the gluten. It’s also possible that the dough doesn’t have enough moisture to keep it from drying out.
This recipe has only 68 calories per serving (per piece).
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve chapati as is, with some butter (my favorite), some garlic and cheese, or even with Mango Chutney, Chicken Biryani, and Butter Chicken.
For a wholesome and easy Indian-inspired dinner, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Indian Recipes You Might Like
Chapati (Indian Flat Bread) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour , or drum-wheat “Atta”
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons wheat flour, for rolling and dusting
Instructions
- Sieve the flour, add salt, and mix well. Place the flour in a large bowl and add 3/4 cup of the water. Stir gently with fingers in a circular motion until the flour starts to gather. Add 1-2 tablespoons more flour if the dough looks too sticky. Add more water if it looks too dry and firm.
- Knead the flour until it becomes soft and pliable and doesn’t stick to your fingers. You can put a little oil on your hand while kneading the dough to help with the kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature. You may also store the dough in the refrigerator. Just thaw it to room temperature before using it.
- Once ready to make chapatis, heat the griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal-sized dough balls. Working on one dough ball at a time, roll it on the flour and flatten it a bit with your hands. Transfer the flattened ball to a clean flat surface, and roll it with a rolling pin into a 6-7 inch (15cm-17cm) disc. If the dough sticks to the surface, dust the surface with more flour.
- Place the chapati on the hot griddle and cook for 30 seconds or until tiny golden dots appear on the surface. Flip over and cook the other side. Flip over again and soon it will start to puff up. Use a folded kitchen towel and press gently on the puffy chapati to push the air to the flattened part. The whole bread should puff up into a round ball.
- Transfer the cooked chapatis to a serving platter. You may baste it with a little butter or ghee. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the consistency of the dough by adding more water or flour as needed.
- Don’t knead the dough without enough moisture.
- Make sure the dough is soft and pliable before rolling. Poke it with your finger and if it bounces back, it is ready to be rolled out.
- If your chapati doesn’t puff up like a ball, it will still taste delicious! But you can also puff it up on direct flame.
- Watch the cooking video for a step-by-step guide.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FYI, I am a Brit and prefer using the US method of cups as measurements for baking and cooking. I find it so much easier!!!
Thanks.
Boleh !!!
Told you a very good way to make your chapati
Not just easy and tasty, this recipe is FUN! I was a little apprehensive to make chapati because breads can be a little challenging, but this recipe de-mystified the process and resulted in some seriously adorable little bread balloons!
I made mine with half whole-wheat, half all-purpose flour because I read that the flour used for chapati is traditionally more finely ground and I don’t like ultra-healthy grainy stuff, lol. I had a nice little system of doing one side on the pan (med-high flame) and doing the other side directly on the burner (low flame). They had lovely little char marks and were so delicious with the ‘mas huni’ I made to go with.
I really liked the naan from Rasamalaysia too, and since following the tips from that recipe, I’ve already made it from memory because it’s so simple (Grandma style- just add ‘enough’ hahah). I probably won’t even look at this recipe next time I make chapati because it’s taught so well: thank you!
Thanks for trying my recipes!
I love these Comments, not as much as the time the person spent to make such a simple recepe,but close.
Glad to see decent people defending whats right against an A hole.
Find something better to do,
Thanks for this recipe! Knew it was easy but never thought I would nail it! I used an induction stove and it worked great, even got myself some air pockets.
Thanks for trying the recipe.
They were so easy to make. Very tasty.
My first time making them, was so happy as most of them puffed up.
That’s great thanks for trying my recipe: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
thanks
I assume this recipe is aimed at the US which makes up part the 2% of the world that still use the pre-1973 measurements. It would be useful to have this recipe in grams and no volumes given. Digital scales are cheap.
Stephen, why don’t you spend your time finding a conversion table online instead of having a pop at this lovely girl who is doing her best? No need for such a post! Be kind!
Thanks Donna! :)
Because there is no standard for the measurements she used, therefore no way to convert them to the system the rest of us use.
How about you try to see the other person’s point instead of attacking them Donna K?
Yes just type in cups to gram gives exact
measure ,assume you like using your scale if that’s what you enjoy why not ,personally delighted to see old measure of cups and spoons .
Thank you
Yes just type in cups to gram gives exact
measure ,assume you like using your scale if that’s what you enjoy why not ,personally delighted to see old measure of cups and spoons .
Thank you
For anyone else suffering the same frustration, just buy a set of measuring cups at a small cost (I’m in the UK and got a full set for less than £4) and be happy that you can now easily make recipes from across the globe without needing to complain that a recipe doesn’t quote ingredients by weight, just because that’s how you are used to baking
First world problems Stephen
The instructions on this were simple and so easy to follow, and the end result turned out great!! Didn’t manage to get them to puff, but I’m sure that will come with more practice :)
Awesome thanks for trying this chapati recipe.