Chicken Mulligatawny

From EatingWell: January/February 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook — Subscribe Now!

Mulligatawny, which literally means “pepper water,” is an English interpretation of an Indian dish. It has seemingly limitless versions, but most have curry and a bit of chicken. We've added tart Granny Smith apples, plenty of spice and a touch of coconut milk.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This was a great dish! Easy, and with lots of distinct flavors and good the next day. The apples were particularly nice and the almonds on top were a good touch. Anonymous, Walnut Creek, CA "

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons hot Madras curry powder, (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white basmati rice
12 ounces chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup “lite” coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip), optional

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add apples, curry powder, cumin, coriander and ginger and cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add broth and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 12 minutes.
Add chicken, return to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in coconut milk and return to a simmer. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds (if using).

Tips & Notes

Tips: Hot Madras curry powder, located in the spice aisle of most supermarkets, adds a pleasant level of heat. Substitute regular curry powder for a milder soup.
To toast chopped nuts: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 230 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 38 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 2 g fiber; 284 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 2 very lean meat, 1 fat