Curry lovers, this mulligatawny soup recipe is for you. It’s a fusion of Indian and British cuisine, gathering the best of both worlds into one hearty, exquisitely spicy, and creamy dish.
Chicken, vegetables, and apples are simmered in chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream, with staple Indian herbs and spices added to infuse that signature aromatic intensity. Serve this gorgeous soup over rice and you’ve got yourself a splendidly toothsome dinner.
Is Mulligatawny Soup Healthy?
Yes, our mulligatawny soup recipe is healthy. Here’s why:
We use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe as it is relatively high in protein (29 g per 1 medium thigh). In addition to protein, chicken also offers a myriad of other essential nutrients, such as heme iron, zinc, choline, and vitamin B12.
Although this recipe contains dairy products that are high in saturated fat, we only use enough to enhance the flavor profile of the dish. As a result, there’s only 9 g per serving. This amount is well below the recommended intake in our healthy eating guidelines.
Our soup also offers a balanced amount of carbs and fiber, making it satiating and keeping you full longer. It may not seem like a big deal but being full can prevent you from snacking and eating a few extra calories, which in the long run, has a huge role in weight management.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here are the main ingredients for today’s mulligatawny soup recipe:
- Chicken Thighs: As mentioned, this is the main source of protein for today’s meal. We find chicken thighs are more suitable for soup recipes because it’s less prone to drying out when simmered for a while thanks to the added fat content.
- Vegetables: We went with soup classics like carrots, onions, and celery. They bring a diverse mixture of subtly sweet, aromatic, and earthy flavors.
- Apples: This takes the dish up a notch with sweet-sour notes that mingle perfectly with the broth’s hearty, creamy taste.
- Broth: We use unsalted chicken broth but alternatively, you can also go with unsalted vegetable stock or plain water.
- Spices and seasonings: In addition to salt and pepper, we also use ground cumin, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, and cinnamon to create that classic curry heat. We also add red pepper flakes and garlic powder to spice it up even more.
- Dairy: We use Greek yogurt, whole milk, and heavy cream to give the soup a richer flavor and thicker texture. We also use unsalted butter but if you have ghee (fermented clarified butter), it would be even better.
- Basmati Rice: This aromatic Indian long rice is the perfect companion for this dish. We can’t think of a better combination!
Can You Use Coconut Milk Instead of Milk?
Yes, you can. In fact, coconut milk is a frequently used ingredient in a lot of Indian dishes, thanks to its sweet aroma and delectably rich taste.
Can You Make This Soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you can. If you can make the soup on the stove top, high chances are it should be easy to make it in the Instant Pot as well.
Storing and Reheating the Leftover
- Storing
If you have leftover soup, we recommend transferring it to airtight containers and allowing it to cool over the counter, uncovered. The soup should be cool enough after half an hour or so. Cover and seal the lid tightly before putting the containers into the fridge. Your curry soup can last for up to three days. If possible, keep the rice separated from the soup.
- Reheating
You can reheat the soup in the microwave for 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a small pot and warm it up on the stove for 5 minutes over medium heat.
What to Serve With
Our mulligatawny soup is a pretty wholesome dish on its own as it is packed with protein, fiber, and carbs. You can definitely serve it as it is, but we like to add a plate of zucchini fries for some textural contrast. A plate of simple white rice or some egg noodles will also do wonders.
And hey, this dish is just one of many amazing Indian dishes out there that you can make with little to no trouble. Explore this cuisine’s amazing potential with our Chicken Korma Recipe, Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe, and Chicken Vindaloo Recipe.
How to make Mulligatawny Soup
Curry lovers, this mulligatawny soup recipe is for you. It’s a fusion of Indian and British cuisine, gathering the best of both worlds into one hearty, exquisitely spicy, and creamy dish.
- cook TIME 30 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 40 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE Indian
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 481 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 25 oz skinless boneless chicken thigh
- 1/4 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
- 4 oz red apple (sliced into large chunks)
- 8 oz carrot (sliced into large chunks)
- 2 oz onion (coarsely diced)
- 4 oz celery (sliced)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp pepper flake
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the mirepoix: In a pot over medium heat, add 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 8 oz carrot, 2 oz onion, and 4 oz celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the spices: Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp pepper flake, 1/2 tsp cardamom, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the pot and stir for another 2 minutes until everything is well-coated.
Cook the soup: Add 25 oz skinless boneless chicken thigh to the pot and stir around, then add 1/4 cup basmati rice.
Add 1 cup milk and 1 cup unsalted chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the soup and shred it into bite-sized pieces, then put them back into the soup.
Add the apples: Add 4 oz red apple and 3 1/2 tbsp heavy cream to the soup. Stir and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro over the soup. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and add dollops of Greek yogurt on top. Serve immediately.
