Print

Hearty Mulligatawny Soup Recipe (with Leftover Chicken or Turkey)

Hearty Mulligatawny Soup with chicken and rice
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This mulligatawny soup recipe is hearty and cheerful! Flavoured with fragrant Indian spices, this chicken and rice soup will not disappoint.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp prepared Indian curry paste (such as Madras Curry by Patak’s)
  • 2 litres / 8 cups chicken stock
  • 200g / 1 cup red split lentils
  • 100g / 1/2 cup basmati rice
  • 2 chicken breasts or equivalent amount of cooked dark meat
  • 3 cubes / 2/3 cup frozen spinach
  • 1/2 lemon, juice of
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large soup pot and sauté diced onion, carrot and celery over low heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and curry paste, and cook for 30 seconds longer while stirring.

3. Add the chicken stock, red split lentils and rice, turn the heat up and bring to a boil.

4. Once boiled, cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

5. Add cooked chicken diced into bite-sized pieces and frozen spinach (no need to defrost).

6. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the lentils and rice are soft.

7. Squeeze the lemon juice directly into the soup and season with salt to taste.

Notes

Although the recipe calls for chicken breast, it also is a great use for leftover roast turkey and chicken.

I keep frozen spinach around for recipes like this one. Just three cubes add a lot of colour and nutrition to the soup. Fresh spinach will also work and will add a beautifully vibrant green to the soup. Kale is another great option if you have some in the fridge.

The same thing applies for any vegetables you might want to use up. Feel free to add them to the soup. Frugal and nutritious.

Red lentils are commonly used for mulligatawny soup, but yellow lentils are a good substitute.

Mulligatawny soup will become even more delicious on the following day but it might get too thick. In that case, just add a cup of chicken or vegetable stock to thin it out.

Some people add a dollop of plain yoghurt or cream to their bowl of mulligatawny soup but I prefer it without. I do enjoy adding a squeeze of lemon though, along with chopped parsley.

What I always add to a soup lunch is a hearty piece of chunky sourdough bread, although this recipe is perfect for flatbread or naan.

Soup can be kept in the fridge for 4–5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

The rice in the soup has the tendency to soak up liquid as it sits, so you may need to add water or stock to keep it loose when reheating.

Reheat by returning to a saucepan and bringing to a boil, or in a microwave if a small amount.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://paulakitchen.com/hearty-mulligatawny-soup/