Chicken Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

Mulligatawny soup is an Indo-British curry soup loaded with chicken, vegetables, red lentils, apples and coconut cream. Thick, creamy and comforting, this soup will drive away the chill of fall and winter days. Made in 30 minutes in the instant pot! Stovetop Instructions included.

Nothing like soup to beat the chill in the air. Isn't there something totally satisfying about setting a pot of soup to cook and then slurping it all up with some warm crusty bread on the side? Makes for a hearty and very satisfying meal. And if it's a chunky Mulligatawny soup with curry powder and dollops of coconut cream stirred into it? I can't seem to get enough of this comfort food!

There are two more soup recipe on the blog that you can check out if you like the combination of chicken and vegetables in soups. A chicken lemon coriander soup with cabbage and this instant pot chicken and vegetable soup, a smooth as silk soup that you can drink from a mug if you're so inclined!

What is Mulligatawny Soup?

Mulligatawny soup has its origins in South Indian cuisine, and the name comes from two Tamil words meaning pepper water. The original recipe for mulligatawny was thin and made with vegetables, Madras curry and coconut. It became fashionable when the British took a fancy to it during the days of colonial rule in India. They made several modifications to it, one of them being the addition of meat.

In its present avatar, therefore, mulligatawny is a fusion soup of sorts. It is a slightly thick soup with bright and spicy Indian flavors. It is also quite wholesome since there is no heavy cream or white flour to spoil the fun.

Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup

I've used my trusty instant pot to make this recipe. It can, of course, be made in a regular pressure cooker, slow cooker or in a saucepan on the stove top, but I find it very convenient to make soups in the instant pot. No watching over the pot while the soup is cooking and no fear that the contents will boil over or run out of liquid and burn.

Plus you don't have to wait for hours before you get to eat it. It's made in exactly 30 minutes with absolutely no compromise in taste. What's not to love?

That being said, I included stovetop instructions recently since not everyone has an instant pot. So, if you prefer to make this mulligatawny recipe in a saucepan, you can adapt this recipe to the stovetop with no confusion:)

Ingredients

• Butter
• White onion, chopped
• Garlic cloves, chopped
• Carrots, chopped
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• Red lentils, rinsed - if you don't like red lentils, add white rice instead.
• Royal Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped - green apple can also be used.
• Madras curry powder - this is a little different from your regular curry powder thanks to the addition of red chili peppers.
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Chicken or vegetable broth
• Coconut cream - can be substituted with coconut milk
• Fresh parsley, for garnishing
• Dried oregano, for garnishing
• Crushed red chilli flakes, for garnishing (optional)
• Lemon juice, optional
• Sea salt, to taste
• Fresh cilantro or parsley

Note: exact quantities of these ingredients are given in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Instant Pot Instructions

Preparation

1. Chop the onion, carrots, garlic, apples (core and peel apples before chopping them).

2. Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces.

Cooking

1. Press the saute function on your instant pot and keep it on normal (medium heat). Add butter and when it melts, add onion, garlic and carrots. Fry these veggies for 2 or 3 minutes until they are slightly soft and fragrant.

2. Add chicken, red lentils, curry powder, black pepper powder and salt. Saute for 2 or 3 minutes until the chicken loses its raw, pink color and turns white. Don't worry, it will be fully cooked later, we are just stir frying it a bit to seal in the juices. Add a few splashes of water if you find that the chicken is sticking to the pot. 

3. Add the chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and finally the apples. Cancel saute and press the pressure cooking button (high pressure). Set the timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer beeps, wait for 10 minutes, then release the steam.

4. Open the pot and stir in the coconut cream. If the soup appears to be a bit thin, simmer it on saute (normal) for 5 minutes.

5. Take it out in bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, fresh chilli flakes and oregano. Squeeze some lemon juice as well if you want an extra kick in your soup. Serve with warm, crusty bread on the side.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Follow the sautéing steps (1-2) as in the instant pot.

2. After you have added the chicken broth and apples (step 3), lower the heat and cook the soup for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as and don't forget to stir the soup regularly.

3. You might want to add a little more broth or water towards the end as more liquid evaporates in an open pan than in a pressure cooker.

4. Once the chicken is tender, switch off the heat and add the coconut cream. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, fresh chilli flakes, oregano and lemon juice. Serve hot!

Why This Recipe Works

1. Mulligatawny soup is incredibly creamy, rich and flavorful thanks to the unique combination of ingredients. Chicken, carrots, apples, lentils, broth, coconut cream and spices come together in a beautiful medley to make one hearty and filling soup.

2. The name is long but the cooking steps are not! Even novice cooks can make this easy, 30-minute recipe quite painlessly.

3. It's a healthy, nourishing kinda soup. Again, take a look at the ingredient list. Need I say more?

More Instant Pot Soups

1. Potato Soup - Made with the humble russet potato, this thick and chunky vegetarian soup has readily available ingredients like carrots, onions and garlic. Dashes of butter and cream add a lovely texture and richness to it!
2. Pumpkin Soup Without Cream - Tastes just as good as with it. In fact, you won’t miss the cream at all. With warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and a dash of maple syrup, this thick soup is so perfect for chilly fall days and holidays.
3. Broccoli Cheddar Soup - Broccoli and cheese are made for each other and when they come together in a creamy soup, it's pure comfort in a bowl. 
4. Dairy Free Cauliflower Soup - A thick, savory, and creamy soup without the use of cream or flour. It is bursting with the flavor and goodness of cauliflower, butter beans, turmeric, garlic, and herbs.
5. Mushroom Soup - A comforting thick and tasty soup for cold days!

Tried this recipe? Do consider giving it a star rating and a comment below. And if you’re on Instagram, feel free to tag me so I can see your creation. I'd love to hear from you! Thank you:)

📖 Recipe

Mulligatawny Soup

Saima Zaidi

Mulligatawny soup is a thick and creamy Indo-British curry soup loaded with chicken, vegetables and apples.

4.73 from 18 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Indo-British

Servings 4 people

Calories 258 kcal

Equipment

• Instant Pot Duo (6-quart) or Cooking Pot

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 white onion medium-sized, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 carrots medium-sized, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup red lentils rinsed
• 2 Royal Gala apples small, peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 teaspoon Madras curry powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoon coconut cream
• 1 sprig cilantro or parsley for garnishing
• 1 teaspoon oregano for garnishing
• ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes optional, for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
• 1 teaspoon sea salt adjust to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Chop the onion, carrots, garlic, and apples (core and peel apples before chopping).
• Cut the chicken breasts into small bite-sized pieces.

Cooking

• Press sauté on your instant pot and melt the butter. Add onion, garlic and carrots. Fry the vegetables for 2 or 3 minutes until they are slightly soft and fragrant.
• Add chicken, red lentils, Madras curry powder, black pepper powder and salt. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes until the chicken loses its raw, pink color and turns white. Add a few splashes of water if you find that the chicken is sticking to the pot.
• Add chicken or vegetable broth and finally the apples. Cancel sauté and close the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is sealed. Hit pressure cooking (high) for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, wait for 10 minutes and release pressure.
• Open the pot and stir in the coconut cream. If the soup appears to be a bit thin, simmer it on saute (normal) for 5 minutes.
• Take it out in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, fresh chilli flakes and oregano. Squeeze some lemon juice as well if you want an extra kick in your soup. Serve with warm, crusty bread on the side.

Stovetop Instructions

• Follow the prep and sautéing steps as in the instant pot.
• After you have added the chicken broth and apples (step 3), lower the heat and cook the soup for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as and don't forget to stir the soup regularly.
• You might want to add a little more broth or water towards the end as more liquid evaporates in an open pan than in a pressure cooker.
• Once the chicken is tender, switch off the heat and add the coconut cream. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, fresh chilli flakes, oregano and lemon juice. Serve hot! 

Notes

1. If you cannot find coconut cream, you can use ½ cup full-fat coconut milk also..
2. If you don't like red lentils, add half a cup of white rice instead. 
3. Madras curry powder adds color and warmth to the soup, so don't skip it. It can be found easily in most supermarkets these days.
4. I used Royal Gala apples in this recipe. You can also use green apples if you wish. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 29gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1298mgPotassium: 826mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 5330IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 2mg

Keyword chicken soup, instant pot mulligatawny soup

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