Hearty Mulligatawny Stew
A comforting one-pot soup made with chicken, vegetables, lentils, and a mix of warm Indian spices, finished with coconut milk for extra richness.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 10 servings
Full Ingredient List
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 small Honeycrisp apple, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils
- 1 cup canned chickpeas
- 14 ounces can unsweetened coconut milk
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Mulligatawny Stew Base
Tools and Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Chef knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
| Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 tablespoons | unsalted butter | neutral cooking oil | |
| 1 pound | boneless skinless chicken thighs | chicken breasts, turkey, mutton, beef | |
| 1 teaspoon | sea salt | table salt | |
| 1/2 teaspoon | fresh ground black pepper | ||
| 1 medium, diced | yellow onion | ||
| 3 ribs, chopped | celery | ||
| 4 medium, chopped | carrots | ||
| 1 small, chopped | Honeycrisp apple | any sweet apple | |
| 4 cloves, chopped | garlic | garlic powder | |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | ground turmeric | ||
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | curry powder | ||
| 1 teaspoon | ground cumin | ||
| 1/2 teaspoon | ground ginger | ||
| 1/2 teaspoon | ground cardamom | ||
| 2 tablespoons | tomato paste | ||
| 1 1/2 cups | red lentils | green lentils, brown lentils | |
| 1 cup, optional | canned chickpeas | ||
| 14 ounces can | unsweetened coconut milk | ||
| 5 cups | chicken stock | vegetable stock | |
| 1/2 cup to garnish | chopped fresh cilantro | fresh parsley | |
| to taste | salt | ||
| to taste | fresh ground black pepper |
Instructions
- Step 1: Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven.
- Step 2: Add the chicken, season it with salt and pepper, and brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. (Tips: Ensure the chicken is browned to develop flavor.)
- Step 3: Add the rest of the butter, chopped onion, celery, carrots, and apple to the pot. Season with sea salt and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. (Tips: Do not rush the sautéing process to maximize flavor.)
- Step 4: Stir in garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cumin, ground ginger, and cardamom; sauté for about 20 seconds until fragrant. (Tips: Keep the heat low so the spices do not burn.)
- Step 5: Add the tomato paste and stir until evenly distributed. (Tips: Tomato paste adds a depth of flavor and richness.)
- Step 6: Stir in red lentils, chickpeas, coconut milk, and chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pot and bring to a boil. (Tips: Check lentils for any small stones before cooking.)
- Step 7: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. (Tips: Simmering allows the flavors to meld.)
- Step 8: Remove the chicken, chop into bite-sized pieces, and return to the stew. (Tips: Ensure chicken pieces are roughly equal in size for even distribution.)
- Step 9: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve warm. (Tips: Taste again before serving to ensure flavors are balanced.)
Additional Information
Notes: You can easily customize the protein used in this stew, and adjust the consistency by adding more stock or coconut milk as needed.