Chicken Dhansak, a mild curry recipe made with chicken breast and split red lentils. The sauce is beautifully spiced and rich, making this dish ideal for a family dinner, as kids and grown ups can enjoy it. It's quick and easy to make with simple ingredients, and on the table in well under 45 minutes.
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What is dhansak?
Dhansak is an Indian dish of Parsi origin, traditionally made with mutton or goat slowly cooked in a lentil and vegetable mixture. The curry is really mild, spiced, but hardly spicy at all.
The use of lentils makes the curry sauce highly satisfying, thick and filling, as they are cooked until they are nearly disintegrated in the dish.
It can, however be adapted to everyone's taste buds, so if you prefer a more fiery chicken curry, you can either add more chillies or chilli powder to taste.
Easy swaps
Chicken is my first choice when it comes to a good curry, as it cooked quickly, but the dish can also be made with beef or lamb. Because they require a longer cooking time, more broth will have to be added while cooking.
So start with 2 cups of broth, and add more as needed until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and creamy.
Ingredients used
- chicken breasts - they are my first choice when I make a curry
- onion, garlic and ginger - they make the very base of a good curry
- Indian spices - they bring the earthy touch to this curry
- sugar - it is used to balance out the acidity of the tomato sauce
- tomato passata - it's smooth, which makes the sauce creamy
- chicken stock/broth - you can use water too, but the stock will bring more flavour
- split red lentils - they cook quicker than the whole lentils, they are best for this dish, as they mush when they cook
- lemon juice - to taste
Step-by-step photos and instructions
For this dish I used chicken breast, but chicken thighs can work too, just cook them exactly the same way, the cooking time should be too different.
- in a pan, heat up the oil, add the chopped onion, and fry on a low to medium heat until golden
- add the chopped garlic, ginger puree and spices, give it a good stir, and leave it to cook for 1 minute
- in go the chicken breasts cut into chunks, and mix well to coat the chicken - cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink
- add the tomato passata, sugar, chicken stock/broth and lentils, and leave to cook on a medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is thickened
- season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with coriander or parsley
Expert tips
Chicken is my first choice when it comes to a good curry, as it cooked quickly, but the dish can also be made with beef or lamb. Because they require a longer cooking time, more broth will have to be added while cooking.
So start with 2 cups of broth, and add more as needed until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and creamy.
Some recipes use canned pineapples for this dish, although I chose to leave it out, you can add about one cup of pineapples towards the end of the cooking time.
Other recipes mention the use of lemon juice to be drizzled over the curry for a more tangy touch - again, that's up to personal choice.
What to serve with dhansak curry
My first choice when it comes to a good curry is basmati rice, which can be cooked at home to perfection until fluffy and delicious.
Flat bread is another great choice, my yogurt flatbread recipe is made without yeast, and ready a lot quicker than the traditional recipes.
Other good choices are pitta or naan bread, couscous, bulgur wheat or quinoa, if you are looking to up the nutritional value.
Other chicken curry recipes
Indian Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Easy Chicken Rogan Josh Recipe
Easy Butter Chicken Recipe (Indian Style)
For more curries that are made with beef, fish or tofu, why not check my Indian Curry Recipes? They are absolutely delicious!
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Chicken Dhansak
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger puree
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 400 ml tomato passata
- 400 ml chicken stock/broth
- ½ cup split red lentils
- salt and pepper to taste
- coriander or parsley to garnish
- lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a large pan set over a low to medium heat.
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic.
- Fry the onion until golden, then add the garlic and ginger together with the garam masala, cumin, turmeric and ground coriander.
- Give everything a good stir, and leave to cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken cut into chunks, and mix to coat the chicken well.
- Leave it to cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the tomato passata, stock and lentils, and leave everything to cook on a medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and rich.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.
- To serve, you can drizzle over some lemon juice if you wish.
Video
Notes
- To see the measurements in cups and ounces, please click on the US CUSTOMARY link.
- The amount of ingredients listed can be adjusted depending on the number of servings you need, just click on the number next to SERVINGS.
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