My super easy mulligatawny soup recipe is rich and hearty, packed with shredded chicken, red lentils, veggies, apples, and an aromatic array of spices. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, this Indian-inspired chicken mulligatawny soup is family-friendly and comes together in a little over an hour!
Mulligatawny Soup with Shredded Chicken
Blending Indian and British cuisines, traditional mulligatawny soup is a curry-spiced soup made with meat, lentils, and vegetables, then enriched with coconut milk or cream. With all the amazing flavors of a good curry, I knew I had to try my hand at this mouthwatering dish to prepare for cozy soup season!
I made my mulligatawny soup with shredded chicken for convenience, while focusing on all the other delicious ingredients. Apples add a subtle touch of sweetness to this lentil soup, which beautifully balances the bold flavors of curry powder, paprika, turmeric, cumin, thyme, cardamom, and cinnamon. I partially blend my soup to make it a little thicker and more stew-like, then I finish with a splash of coconut milk to add creaminess.
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Balance the Curry Flavor
Curry powders can vary greatly in their overall spice profile. When developing this recipe, I found that I liked the flavor of Frontier Co-op curry powder best. If your curry powder blend is on the mild side, add a dash of cayenne or chili powder for heat, or a drizzle of honey to balance a spicier mix. Mulligatawny soup should have a warm, rounded flavor, not just spicy or sweet.
Chicken Mulligatawny Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
- High-Powered Blender or Immersion Blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or ghee)
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1 large carrot (peeled and diced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 medium apple (peeled, cored, and diced*)
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (**)
- 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup dried red lentils (rinsed***)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (****)
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
Optional Garnishes
- roasted cashews
- chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil or ghee in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and red bell pepper, and season with salt.2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 large carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, and apple, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 1 medium apple
- Add the curry powder, paprika, turmeric, cumin, thyme, cardamom, and cinnamon, stirring to coat the vegetables.2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add the red lentils.½ cup dried red lentils
- Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.3 cups chicken broth
- Remove from heat and puree about three-quarters of the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, transfer a portion to a blender, then return it to the pot.
- Stir in the shredded chicken. Heat through for a few minutes, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Stir in the coconut milk off heat.1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- Ladle into bowls and top with roasted cashews and cilantro if using. Serve with naan or crusty bread.roasted cashews, chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
- I developed this recipe using Frontier Co-op‘s curry powder. You may wish to adjust the spices to get a balanced flavor depending on the brand you use, since curry powders can vary greatly.
- The soup’s spices and turmeric can stain wooden spoons, so use a utensil you are not particular about, or use silicone, stainless, or plastic instead.
- A Dutch oven or enameled cast iron pot distributes heat evenly and prevents scorching. Stainless steel works fine; if using a thin pot, stir more often.
- Add the spices after aromatics so they bloom in hot fat. This wakes up their essential oils and makes the flavor more vivid.
- Puree about three-quarters of the soup for a silky base while leaving some chunks for body. Blend more for smoothness or less for heartiness.
- An immersion blender makes partial blending simple. Without one, scoop half the soup into a blender, puree until smooth, and return it. For a rustic version, mash with a potato masher.
- Always stir in the coconut milk off the heat or over very low heat at the end. Boiling it can cause the fat to separate.
- As written, the recipe makes a stew-like consistency. For something thinner, add more coconut milk or broth, taste, and adjust the salt.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Serve with warm naan, roti, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Mulligatawny Soup Step by Step
Prep: Gather up all of the ingredients needed for this mulligatawny soup recipe. Finely chop the onion; peel and dice the carrot; dice the bell pepper; mince the garlic and ginger; peel, core, and dice the apple; and shred the cooked chicken (if not already shredded).
Sauté the Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion, 1 large peeled and diced carrot, 1 medium diced red bell pepper, and season with ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.
Add the Apple: Stir in 3 minced cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger, and 1 medium peeled, cored, and diced apple, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.
Season the Veggies: Add 2 teaspoons of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of ground sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, stirring to coat the vegetables. Give the spices some good pan contact so they can toast up, releasing their flavorful oils.
Simmer the Lentils: Add ½ cup of dried red lentils and 3 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. You’ll know they’re ready when you can easily mash them with a spoon or between your fingers.
Blend the Soup: Remove the mulligatawny soup from the heat and puree about three-quarters of the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, transfer a portion to a blender, then return it to the pot. For a more rustic texture, mash with a potato masher.
Stir in the Chicken: Stir in 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken and 1 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk. Heat through for a few minutes, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Do not let the mixture boil, or the coconut milk may separate. For a thinner texture, add more chicken broth or coconut milk.
Garnish and Serve: Ladle your chicken mulligatawny soup into bowls and top with roasted cashews and cilantro if using. I like to serve it with with naan or crusty bread for dipping!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
The flavor of this chicken mulligatawny soup actually improves with time, so store and reheat it right! Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, leave out the coconut milk and stir it in after thawing and reheating for the best texture. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed. Avoid boiling, or the coconut milk may separate.
More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try!
Note: This recipe is one of those few exceptions on our site that has more than 10 ingredients. We try to keep things VERY easy around here, and limiting ingredients and time spent is one of our favorite ways. That being said, this recipe is too delicious to leave out of our recipe box! It’s an exception that is so flavorful and worth the extra ingredients if you have the time and resources to make it.
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