Spicy Chicken & Lentil Khichdi | Lentil, Rice & Chicken Porridge
A complete meal in itself with goodness of lentils, vegetables, chicken and rice all in one dish. Ideal as an iftar dish if you need to serve a large crowd. You can also make use of your leftover rice and transform it into a spicy and tasty porridge.
Servings 4
Ingredients
For cooking rice:
- ¼ cup basmati rice
- 3 tbsp moong dal green gram
- 1 small carrot finely chopped
- ½ cup green peas
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups of water or little more
For chicken masala:
- 5 pieces of chicken
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 green chilies
- 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
Whole spices:
- 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 inch
- 3 cloves
- 2 cardamom
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ cup chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon ginger slices for serving
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan and boil soaked rice, lentils, carrot, and green peas along with salt, bay leaf and 3 cups of water.
- Cook rice till it is overcooked and mushy. Add water if needed and keep the consistency of a thick soup. (It should not be dry)
- Once it is cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat oil in another saucepan and fry chopped onion till it is light pink.
- Add all the whole spices, chopped green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste. Fry for 1 minute.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 &1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, chicken pieces, and salt.
- Cook chicken along with spices for 2 minutes. Add little water if spices stick to the pan.
- Place the lid and cook till chicken pieces and fully done.
- Remove chicken pieces from the masala, shred it and discard the bones.
- Add boiled rice and lentil mixture to the masala along with shredded chicken, chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander, 1/2 tsp garam masala powder, and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Stir well and cook the porridge on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot topped with ghee and ginger juliennes.