Published by Best Fitness Routine. Editorial standards · Report a correction. Educational guidance; no individual clinical review is claimed unless a qualified reviewer is named.
About This Healthy Recipe
Besan chilla is a savory chickpea-flour pancake. This version has a paneer and vegetable filling and plain yogurt alongside, making two filled chilla a defined meal portion. It contains no protein powder or sweet pancake topping.
Chickpea flour thickens while resting, so give the batter 10 minutes before making a final water adjustment. A pourable batter spreads thinly and cooks more reliably than a stiff batter with a raw center.
The nutrition calculation uses reduced-fat high-protein paneer, not regular malai paneer. Match the label or recalculate. Finely chopped vegetables help the filling warm quickly without tearing the pancake.
Why Readers May Like It
- 1A measured vegetarian protein source.
- 2Clear dry, cooked and drained ingredient weights.
- 3A complete four-serving meal with practical cooking cues.
Recipe Summary and Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated from the listed ingredient weights and the specific USDA records or manufacturer references linked below. Weights labeled dry, cooked or drained must be matched to that state.
4 servings
One serving is one quarter of the base batch. Values are estimates rather than laboratory analysis.
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Brands, drained weights, substitutions and final serving sizes can change these values.
Ingredient-by-Ingredient Nutrition Breakdown
Gram weights are the calculation basis; household measures are approximate. Cooking water is listed for preparation, and drained water is not included.
| Ingredient | Amount used | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickpea flour (besan) | about 2 1/2 cups | 240 g | 929 kcal | 53.7 g | 138.8 g | 16.1 g |
| Reduced-fat high-protein paneer, crumbled | about 10 1/2 oz | 300 g | 510 kcal | 75 g | 12 g | 18 g |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | about 3/4 cup | 200 g | 118 kcal | 20.4 g | 7.2 g | 0.8 g |
| Spinach, finely chopped | about 5 cups loose | 150 g | 34 kcal | 4.3 g | 5.4 g | 0.6 g |
| Red bell pepper, finely diced | 1 medium | 150 g | 39 kcal | 1.5 g | 9 g | 0.5 g |
| Onion, finely diced | about 2/3 cup | 100 g | 40 kcal | 1.1 g | 9.3 g | 0.1 g |
| Olive oil | about 2 teaspoons | 10 g | 88 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 10 g |
| Ground cumin | 1 teaspoon | 2 g | 8 kcal | 0.4 g | 0.9 g | 0.4 g |
| Table salt | about 1/3 teaspoon | 2 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Water | 450 ml | 450 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Full recipe estimate | 4 servings | — | 1766 kcal | 156.4 g | 182.6 g | 46.5 g |
How This Nutrition Estimate Was Prepared
- Match each listed ingredient to its linked food record or stated label reference.
- Multiply the per-100-g values by the listed gram weight and add the unrounded ingredient values.
- Divide the full calculation by four servings, then round for the cards.
- Recalculate if you change the ingredient brand, amount or serving yield.
Ingredient cells are rounded independently. The footer sums displayed cells; per-serving cards use the unrounded calculation, so small rounding differences are expected. Cooking-water losses affect finished weight, not the fixed four-serving calculation.
Paneer estimates assume a reduced-fat product with 25 g protein and 6 g fat per 100 g. Regular full-fat paneer is not equivalent; recalculate from its label.
Ingredients
Measured ingredients
Step-by-Step Preparation
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Equipment
- Nonstick skillet (paid link)
- Whisk (paid link) and bowl
- Spatula
- Scale and measuring jug
Before You Start
Chickpea flour thickens while resting, so give the batter 10 minutes before making a final water adjustment. A pourable batter spreads thinly and cooks more reliably than a stiff batter with a raw center.
Allow 35 minutes overall. Component steps can overlap; check doneness and package directions rather than relying only on time.
Whisk the batter
3 minutesWhisk (paid link) besan, cumin, half the salt and measured water until smooth. Rest for 10 minutes, then check it flows like a thin pancake batter. Weigh the listed ingredient quantities with a digital kitchen scale (paid link) before starting this step.
Prepare the filling
5 minutesMix crumbled reduced-fat paneer with finely chopped spinach, pepper, onion and the remaining salt. Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl (paid link) with enough room to avoid spilling.
Heat and grease the skillet
2 minutesHeat a nonstick skillet (paid link) over medium heat and brush with a small amount of the measured oil. Reserve the remaining oil for later batches.
Cook the chilla
about 2–3 minutes eachPour a portion of batter into the pan and spread into a thin round. Cook until the surface loses its wet shine, then turn and cook the second side. Make eight medium chilla, adjusting size to use the full batter.
Fill and fold
about 1 minute eachPlace an eighth of the paneer mixture on each cooked chilla. Fold and warm briefly until the filling is hot and spinach softens.
Serve four meals
2 minutesServe two filled chilla per meal with one quarter of the plain yogurt.
How to Know It Is Ready
Both sides are golden and the batter is fully cooked.
Filling is hot and vegetables have softened.
Serve two filled chilla with one quarter of the yogurt.
What This Meal Provides and What to Consider
Meal Balance
- The measured batch supplies about 39.1 g protein per serving.
- Vegetables and the listed grain or legume portions make this a full meal, rather than a protein-only snack.
Things to Consider
- Contains milk. Check chickpea-flour packaging for wheat cross-contact if relevant.
- The paneer reference affects both calories and saturated fat.
Who May Enjoy This Recipe?
Vegetarian meal planning
People looking for a meat-free meal with a clearly defined protein source.
Home cooking
The nutrition calculation uses reduced-fat high-protein paneer, not regular malai paneer. Match the label or recalculate. Finely chopped vegetables help the filling warm quickly without tearing the pancake.
Measured portions
People who want to understand how ingredient weights relate to a four-serving batch.
How to Adjust the Meal
Smaller appetite
Serve a smaller portion and save the rest. Recalculate nutrition for the portion you actually eat rather than labeling an unchanged serving low-calorie.
Larger appetite
Add vegetables or another suitable accompaniment, and include those ingredients in the meal calculation.
Protein adjustments
If changing chickpea flour (besan), check its product label and recalculate. A larger amount may also change texture and cooking requirements.
Substitutions, Dietary Notes, and Allergens
Practical Substitutions
- Use finely grated carrot instead of part of the pepper.
- Use tofu and plain soy yogurt for a dairy-free adaptation with a new nutrition calculation.
Allergen Information
Contains milk. Check chickpea-flour packaging for wheat cross-contact if relevant.
Check packaged ingredient labels for the allergens relevant to you. A substitution changes both the recipe and the calculation.
Storage and Meal Preparation
Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F (32°C). Use shallow containers and a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days; reheat hot leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Keep raw salad components and dressings separate when that improves texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
The batter may be too thick or the pan may be too cool. Rest and thin the batter gradually, and turn only after the surface sets.
Yes, but the displayed nutrition uses a reduced-fat high-protein paneer label. Recalculate using your paneer and yogurt.
The listed ingredients provide an estimated 39.1 g protein per one quarter of the batch. Brands and portions can change this value.
Use the 2× or 3× control for gram quantities and serving count. Keep the per-serving estimate as a base guide; use larger cookware or batches and check doneness rather than multiplying the cooking time.
Nutrition Sources and Recipe Notes
These values are planning estimates, not individualized nutrition advice. Use the labels for your exact products when precision is important. The recipe has not been kitchen-tested and the image is a generated illustration of the intended dish.
Nutrition Data Sources
See our Nutrition Calculation Methodology for weights, rounding and substitutions.
Food Safety Reference
Recipe development note: this page does not claim independent kitchen testing. The image is illustrative and does not document a tested result. Ingredient-based nutrition estimates can change with brands, weighing state, preparation and serving size; use exact labels when precision matters.
