This chicken mulligatawny soup features tender chicken cooked alongside vegetables, rice and lentils for a hearty, delicious, curried dish. It's nourishing, satisfying, simple and easy to make using everyday ingredients and ready in just over 45 minutes!
See also chicken, lentil and butternut squash curry!
This chicken mulligatawny soup is an easy version of classic mulligatawny. I used curry powder instead of individual spices, as well as an easy method that involves a few simple steps.
My easy chicken mulligatawny offers 22g of protein per portion, which makes it a satisfying stand-alone meal. It's also nutritious, low in fat and high in fibre. The combination of chicken, vegetables and curry spices creates a delicious depth of flavour while the lentils and rice naturally thicken the soup.
What is mulligatawny soup
Mulligatawny soup originated in 18th century India in the province of Tamil. The name 'mulligatawny' comes from the Tamil words 'milagu', which means 'black pepper', and 'thanneer', meaning 'water'. The original 'pepper-water' soup was vegetarian, but today many versions of mulligatawny contain chicken.
Today this Indian-inspired curried chicken soup is no longer just 'pepper water', either. It can be made with a variety of ingredients, in an east-meets-west style of cooking. Some recipes call for potatoes, apples or parsnips, use lemon juice instead of tomato paste, while others omit the rice and just use lentils.
Chicken mulligatawny soup ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken: use either 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken legs (without the skin).
- Rice: I used long grain basmati rice. If you prefer to use brown rice add it into the soup 10 minutes earlier.
- Red split lentils.
- Vegetables: onion (you can use 3 shallots instead), garlic, ginger, celery rib, carrots.
- Curry powder: use your favourite. I used mild curry powder. I also added a bay leaf for more flavour.
- Tomato paste: or tomato puree.
- Stock: there is a lot of chicken flavour in this soup so I prefer to use vegetable instead of chicken stock.
- Cilantro/fresh coriander.
- Oil: either vegetable or coconut.
- Coconut milk: either add into the pot or to individual portions (see Instructions). This ingredient can be optional.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Prepare soup base: Heat the oil, add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger and bay leaf and cook until softened over a low/medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
2. Add chicken: Stir in the curry powder then add the chicken and stir until thoroughly coated in the mixture. Cook for a minute.
3. Add stock: Add about ¾ of the stock (hot), cover and bring to the boil then simmer the soup for about 25 minutes until the chicken is quite tender.
4. Add rice and lentils: Add the rice, lentils, carrots and the rest of the stock. Bring to the boil again then lower the heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
5. Shred chicken: Remove from the heat, take out the chicken, place on top of a large plate or cutting board and shred (remove the bones if present). Return to the pot. Stir in the cilantro and tomato paste.
6. Serve: Add about ½ cup/120ml coconut milk (alternatively add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk to individual portions). Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.
TIP: The coconut milk can be optional.
How to serve chicken mulligatawny
This mulligatawny soup with chicken is filling and can be served as a stand alone meal, but you can also enjoy it with naan bread or even pumpernickel or sourdough (this is a Western-style soup after all).
You can also sprinkle some nigella (onion) seeds over the top, as I have done, and serve this soup with a dollop of yogurt (and omit the coconut milk).
Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs
I don't recommend it. White meat (chicken breast) becomes dry after prolonged cooking and should not be used in this soup. It also hasn't got enough flavour to make a truly delicious chicken mulligatawny.
Dark meat (chicken thighs/legs), on the other hand, becomes tender, juicy and flavourful the longer it cooks so is perfect to use in soups as well as stews (other examples include chicken cabbage soup and chicken potato stew).
Top tips
- You can use either 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken legs.
- Rinse the rice and lentils until the water runs clear before adding into the soup.
- Use your favourite curry powder.
- Best served immediately.
- Refrigerate leftover mulligatawny chicken soup for up to 3 days. This soup will thicken as it cools. When reheating it you may have to add a splash of water or coconut milk and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
More chicken soup recipes to try next
See also these other easy, delicious soup recipes!
Recipe
Easy Chicken Mulligatawny Soup
Equipment
- Large pot
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs skinless, with or without bones
- 1 celery rib finely chopped
- 1 onion medium/large, finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons fresh ginger finely chopped, or 1 tbsp grated
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 medium carrots peeled, diced
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder any
- ⅓ cup (60 g) basmati rice rinsed
- ⅓ cup (60 g) red split lentils rinsed
- 4½ cups (1,080 ml) vegetable stock hot
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato puree
- 6 tablespoons cilantro/fresh coriander or to taste, finely chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) coconut milk *optional
Instructions
- Prepare soup base: Heat the oil, add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger and bay leaf and cook until softened over a low/medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add chicken: Stir in the curry powder then add the chicken and stir until thoroughly coated in the mixture. Cook for a minute.
- Add stock: Add about ¾ of the stock (hot), cover and bring to the boil then simmer the soup for about 25 minutes until the chicken is quite tender.
- Add rice and lentils: Add the rice, lentils, carrots and the rest of the stock. Bring to the boil again then lower the heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
- Shred chicken: Remove from the heat, take out the chicken, place on top of a large plate or cutting board and shred (remove the bones if present). Return to the pot.
- Add herbs: Stir in the cilantro and tomato paste. Add about ½ cup/120ml coconut milk (alternatively add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk to individual portions or omit this ingredient altogether). Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.TIP: The coconut milk can be optional.
Notes
- You can use either 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken legs.
- Rinse the rice and lentils until the water runs clear before adding into the soup.
- Use your favourite curry powder.
- Best served immediately.
- Refrigerate leftover mulligatawny chicken soup for up to 3 days. This soup will thicken as it cools. When reheating it you may have to add a splash of water or coconut milk and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- The nutritional information includes the coconut milk.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
Have you made this chicken mulligatawny soup recipe? I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Gracie Miguel says
Thanks for sharing the recipe, Monika. I'll definitely get it done this weekend.
Monika says
You are welcome, hope you like it!
Kat says
Yum, so warm and comforting!
Monika says
Thank you!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Monica, I made this with some ready made chicken stock I had in the freezer so no added chicken meat and added a parsnip and it was really delicious. Thank you
Monika says
I am so glad you made it and liked it Jacqui! I actually considered using chard in this recipe but spinach was easier to find.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
OMG this looks so good. I might even make it for my dinner tonight as I think I have everything I need and it would save me going out in the rain to the shops.
Monika says
Thank you Jacqui! Let me know how it turns out for you if you do decide to make it!
Cat says
Yum! This looks really tasty and I love the flavours. This would make such a comforting meal.
Monika says
Thank you!
Julia says
Looks very comfy! I am going to try this soup!