Chicken Mulligatawny Noodle Soup
A cozy, curry-scented soup that builds on the classic mulligatawny with tender chicken thighs, red lentils that melt into the broth, a diced tart apple, and creamy coconut milk. Wide egg noodles make it a complete one-pot meal, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 51 min
- Total
- 1 hr 16 min
- Makes
- About 11 cups (6 generous bowls)
Steps
Before you start
- This soup is made entirely on the stovetop; no baking or preheating is needed.
- Rinse the red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear.
- Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening so the cream and liquid are evenly mixed.
- Use a mild to medium curry powder; hot blends can overwhelm the coconut and apple. Check that it is fresh, since old curry powder tastes dusty.
- Have all the vegetables chopped before you turn on the heat, because the aromatics cook quickly once you start.
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces so they cook evenly.
- Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and peel and dice the apple.
- Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear, then drain.
- Keep the apple in a small bowl until needed.
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Ready when: All vegetables are in uniform ½-inch pieces and the lentils are rinsed.
Tip: Uniform dice means the carrots soften at the same rate as the onion.
Soften the base
- Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery with ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The onion is translucent and soft, with only light golden edges, and the carrots have started to give slightly when pressed.
Tip: Lower the heat if the vegetables brown quickly; browning will make the soup taste muddy rather than bright.
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and tomato paste.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly toasty and fragrant and the tomato paste darkens to brick red.
Tip: Don't walk away; curry powder scorches fast and turns bitter.
Add liquid and chicken
- Add the apple, lentils, whole chicken thighs, broth, water, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any stuck bits.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The liquid is at a steady rolling boil with the chicken submerged.
Tip: Skim any gray foam from the surface with a spoon for a cleaner-looking broth.
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently, partially cover the pot, and cook for 25 minutes.
- Stir once or twice to keep the lentils from settling and sticking to the bottom.
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Ready when: The lentils have broken down and thickened the soup, the carrots are tender, and the chicken reads at least 175°F (80°C) in the thickest part.
Tip: Thighs are safe at 165°F (74°C) but are more tender and easy to shred at 175°F (80°C).
Shred the chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board with tongs.
- Shred it into bite-size pieces using two forks, discarding any bits of fat.
- Cover the shredded chicken with a plate to keep it warm and moist.
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Ready when: The meat pulls apart easily with no pink remaining.
Tip: Leave the pot on the lowest heat meanwhile so it stays hot for the noodles.
Cook the noodles
- Raise the heat to medium and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the coconut milk and the egg noodles.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The noodles are tender but still slightly chewy at the center when you bite one.
Tip: Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, to prevent the coconut milk from separating.
Finish and season
- Return the shredded chicken and any juices on the board to the pot.
- Stir in the lemon juice and several grinds of black pepper.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bright and balanced.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a splash of water or broth.
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Ready when: The soup is hot throughout, thick but spoonable, and tastes lively rather than flat.
Tip: Add lemon at the end; long cooking dulls its freshness.
Serve
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls, making sure each gets plenty of noodles and chicken.
- Top with chopped cilantro and serve right away.
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Tip: The noodles keep absorbing liquid, so serve promptly while the soup is still brothy.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't skip blooming the curry powder in oil; it deepens the flavor far more than adding it to liquid.
- A tart apple is key: it balances the coconut's richness. Sweet apples like Fuji will make the soup taste flat.
- If you prefer a smoother soup, blend 2 cups of the soup before adding the noodles, then return it to the pot.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or a sliced green chile with the garlic if you want more heat.
Make ahead
Make the soup through step 5 (before shredding the chicken and adding noodles) up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, then continue with steps 6 to 9 so the noodles stay fresh.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container; the noodles will absorb liquid, so add ½ cup (120 ml) broth or water per serving when reheating gently on the stove over medium-low heat. Freezer: freeze the soup without noodles for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, and cook fresh noodles in it.
Substitutions
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simmer only until they reach 165°F (74°C), about 18 to 20 minutes, to avoid dry meat.
- wide dried egg noodles → long-grain basmati rice (¾ cup / 150 g, rinsed). Cook it in the soup for about 15 minutes and add an extra ½ cup (120 ml) water. Rice also makes the soup gluten-free.
- full-fat coconut milk → heavy cream (1½ cups / 360 ml). Adds a richer, less sweet finish; stir it in off a hard boil.
- tart apple such as Granny Smith → 1 tbsp mango chutney. Gives a similar sweet-tart note; stir in with the broth.