Chicken stroganoff emerged as a clever adaptation of the classic beef stroganoff, which originated in mid-19th-century Russia. Count Pavel Stroganoff’s French chef first created this mushroom sauce dish for the aristocrat’s refined palate. As beef stroganoff travelled across Europe and Asia, creative chefs started experimenting with chicken as a lighter, more accessible alternative. The switch to chicken made the dish more approachable while maintaining the signature combination of mushrooms, onions, and sour cream sauce. Restaurants worldwide began serving this variation, often pairing it with buttered rice infused with fresh herbs. The herb-butter rice became the perfect canvas for soaking up the rich sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavours that made the dish an instant hit.

chicken stroganoff and herbed rice

Dining out on Park Street

Park Street in Calcutta became home to chicken stroganoff in the 1950s when continental cuisine entered the city’s dining scene. Restaurants like Trincas and Mocambo championed this fusion of European flavours with local sensibilities. These establishments, with their red carpets, bow-tied waiters, and live jazz music, made chicken stroganoff a symbol of sophisticated dining. The now-closed Firpo’s, once a landmark restaurant, was another pioneer in introducing chicken stroganoff to Calcutta’s food lovers. Their version served with a generous portion of butter rice studded with parsley, became the talk of the town. Another closed establishment, Skyroom, gained fame for serving chicken stroganoff in copper dishes. The Blue Fox, which shut its doors in the 1990s, added local spices to their stroganoff sauce, creating a unique fusion that captured Calcutta’s evolving palate.

Park Street’s love for colonial-era continental food spans far beyond chicken stroganoff. The restaurants became known for their Baked Alaska, a dessert that still draws crowds to Mocambo and Trincas. Fried Bekcty with tartare sauce—a variation of fish and chips—remains a top seller at Peter Cat, while the golden-brown, crusty Chicken à la Kiev brings regular patrons to Olypub. The trademark Devils on Horseback—bacon-wrapped prunes—became a cocktail-hour favourite. Serving the classic prawn cocktail in pewter glasses with Marie Rose sauce, it became a symbol of Park Street dining. These dishes, alongside perfectly grilled Chateaubriand steaks and Lobster Thermidor, defined the area’s reputation as Calcutta’s premier dining destination and draw large crowds today too.

Chicken stroganoff close up

chicken stroganoff and butter herb rice

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Chicken Stroganoff with Herbed Rice

A creamy and flavourful dish of tender chicken strips and mushrooms in a rich sauce, often paired with buttery herb rice.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Course chicken recipes, Main Course

Cuisine European

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

For stroganoff

400 gm boneless chicken strips
200 gm button mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 tsp yellow mustard paste
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp white wine
250 gm sour cream
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp olive oil
3 knobs of butter
salt to taste
chopped parsley or dill for garnish
crushed black pepper
sugar to taste

For butter rice

3 cups basmati rice, cooked 80 percent and cooled
1 onion, finely chopped
handful of parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
salt to taste
2 tsp olive oil

Instructions

To make stroganoff

In a pan heat some oil and butter then add the chicken strips and cook them till they're no longer pink. Set them aside in a bowl.
In the same pan, add sliced onion. Slowly cook the onions on medium to low heat so that they become soft and translucent.
Add the sliced mushrooms at this point. Stir fry the mushrooms with the onions on high heat.
When the mushrooms are left with no moisture or minimum moisture, add the wine, followed by paprika and sour cream and then chicken stock.
Add back the chicken pieces and give everything a good mix.
Cover and let the chicken cook in the sauce. Once the chicken is fully tender, check the salt, add more stock or water if needed to get the right consistency.
Add black pepper, a little bit of sugar and then chopped parsley.
Serve with butter herb rice.

To make butter herb rice

In a large frying pan or saucepan, heat oil and melt a little butter.
Add chopped onions and stir fry till they are soft and translucent.
Add the cooked rice, chopped parsley or mixed herbs, salt to taste and stir fry everything till the flavours have all come together.
Add knobs of butter and let the butter help grease and flavour all the rice grains.

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Chicken Stroganoff- A Colonial Classic on Park Street, Calcutta