Chicken Haleem recipe with photos of each step. Haleem is traditionally made with beef and it tastes best that way. But chicken haleem can be great if you wish to avoid red meat for any reason. This recipe share Haleem masala recipe and all tips from scratch for a Dhaba style delicious and sticky haleem.
Last updated: 20/2/2021
I’m posting this chicken Haleem recipe for my dear friend Fatima who is the first and most faithful follower of the blog. She has tried and given feedback on every single recipe. In fact, she is the greatest motivation for my blog.
Tips to Make Chicken Haleem
- This is a Chicken Haleem recipe but you can substitute mutton or beef for chicken.
- This is also called khichra haleem, because you are using a number of lentils and grain along with wheat.
- If you want only wheat Haleem here is Mutton Haleem recipe but you can easily substitute mutton for chicken.
- I used chicken with bone because the bones give you flavor full ‘Yakhni ‘ Chicken stock. But you can use boneless chicken as well.
- Chicken Haleem is a quick thing and many people prefer ready-made spice mix. So it’s up to you what you prefer ready-made spice mix or homemade. I’m sharing a spice mix recipe as well but you may skip it and use a ready-made spice mix if you find that a hassle.
- I’m using a number of pulses but actually, you can substitute one pulse for another if all pulses are not available.
- Similarly, barley adds stickiness to Haleem so I highly recommend adding it but if you can’t find it, simply add more wheat instead of barley.
- One of the most important tips is wheat should be fully cooked before you blend it. And blend it very well or the texture will not be smooth.
- Spices are important so add extra red chili if you like spicy Haleem.
Can I freeze haleem?
Yes, Haleem is freezer-friendly food and can be freezer for 45 days. To serve defrost and reheat completely. Then serve haleem in a bowl and garnish. Then add some smoking oil tarka for best taste.
Can I use any lentil?
You can 1 and a half cups of bengal gram for best taste. Using a variety of lentils adds more nutritional value and taste. Switching for other lentils can reflect in taste but it is doable.
Can I skip Barley?
Barley helps sticky texture to the haleem so I highly recommend it. But if you just can't find it add equal measures of wheat instead.
Can I use broken wheat instead of whole wheat?
Yes, you can use broken wheat, but then soak for 2 hours only, and the cooking time of grain will also reduce considerably.
Can I use ready-made haleem spice mix?
Yes! if you use a ready-made spice mix, skip the whole spice and haleem masala making process. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the spice mix. Add more as per taste before ghotna.
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How to make Chicken Haleem Recipe ?
Take all grain and lentil in pot. Wash it 3-4 times. Then fill the pot 2 inch above the grains with water and soak for at least two hours in warm water or preferably overnight.
Take soaked grains in a large, thick-bottomed pot. Fill the pot water with more water. And add ginger, garlic, and green chili paste. Bring it to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cover the pot tightly. Cook for 1½ hours.
Grains are cooked. Do a test by pressing the grains between the thumb and index finger. It should be mashable with no uncooked grains.
Add about two cups of cold water, then blend the grains with an immersion blender. Add more water as required.
While grain cooks, simultaneously fry your onions. At this stage onions slices start to separate. Fry for few more seconds until golden then remove from oil and spread on a kitchen towel. ( Do not discard oil, we’ll use the same oil in chicken and tempering.)
These are the spices I used. (The photo show just 10 red chillies but I used 20.)
Roast the spices for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then remove and let it cool for few minutes then grind into a fine powder.
Now mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt in powdered whole spices.
In a pot take chicken ( boneless or with bones) ½ cup fried onions, 1 cup water, ⅓ cup oil ( remaining use the fried onion oil), and haleem spice mix. Cook chicken for 20-30 minutes until tender.
Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
Add chicken stock to the grains pots.
When chicken is cool remove it from bones and shred. (You can also use a metal pounder to shred chicken.)
Also add chicken to grains pot.
Now it's time to Ghotna. ( The mixing of Haleem with a special wooden tool for a long time until everything is combined and Haleem gets a sticky texture.
For that, I suggest, put your pot on the floor sit on the stool next to it. Keep stirring the Haleem with ghotna or a sturdy wooden spoon for at least 10 minutes or more. (Keeping pot on the floor gives you an easy position for muscles to work and put more strength special if Haleem is in large quantity. )
Now, take a taste test for Haleem. Adjust if needed. To adjust you may add more spices, garam masala , red chili, chat masala, in tempering.
For tempering heat oil and add cumin, mint, green chili, and garlic. Sizzle for a minute then add the tempering to Haleem.
Mix well and you Haleem is ready.
To serve take Haleem on a serving plate or bowl, then garnish fried onion, chilli slices, ginger, and mint. Then drizzle few spoons of hot oil on the bowl. Serve with a plate of garnish and a slice of lemon. Enjoy.
Share in the comment your recipe for the most amazing or absolutely easy Haleem recipe. I’ll give it a try. (My son loves Haleem.)
My other Haleem recipe
Chicken Haleem recipe
Ingredients
Grains and Lentils
- 1½ cup whole wheat or broken wheat, (300 gram)
- ½ cup rice
- ½ cup red lentil, (masoor daal)
- ½ cup yellow lentil, (moong dal)
- ½ cup Bengal gram, (channa dal)
- ½ cup barley, (jaav) , optional
* You can substitute one lentil for other. You can also 1½ cup of any lentil.
- 2 tablespoon green chilli paste
- 2 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon garlic paste
- 6 medium onions, , sliced
- Oil to fry
- 1200 grams chicken with bones or 1 kg boneless chicken
- 1½ tablespoon red chilli powder or to taste
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
Whole spices
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon black cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 15 red button chillies
- Salt to taste
Tempering
- ½ cup of oil, use oil used to fry sliced onions
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Hand full of mint leaves chopped
Garnish
- 50 gram ginger sliced
- Mint leaves
- Chat masala
- Medium sized green chillies, sliced
Instructions
For wheat and lentils
- Combine all lentils and grains and wash by changing water twice or as required. Soak for 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- Take soaked lentils and grains in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add salt, ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and water. The level of water should be 2 inch above the grains. Bring lentils to a boil then reduce heat to slow and cover the lid tightly Cook for 1½ hour.
- When grain are very soft and add 2-3 cups cold water and to bring grains to room temperature then blend with immersion blender, until very smooth. Cook further on slow heat and keep stirring at interval to avoid sticking from bottom.
For spice mix
- While grains cook, roast all whole spice in a pan and and ground into fine powder. (Skip this step if using ready made spice mix.)
- Fry sliced onion in pan until golden. Work in two batches. Spread onions on kitchen towel so it gets crispy.( Skip this step if using store brought fried onions.)
- In another pot take chicken. Add ⅓ cup of remaining oil from fried onions. Take ½ cup tightly packed fried onion and crush it, add to chicken. Also add 1 cup water, grounded whole spices , salt, red chilli powder and turmeric. (Do not add these spices if using ready made spice mix.)
- Cover the pot and cook chicken on low heat for 30 minutes or until tender.
- Remove chicken from gravy and let it cool. Remove bones and shred it. Add both gravy and shredded chicken to lentil and grain pot.
Ghotna:
- Remove pot from stove and keep on floor sit next to it. Keep stirring the wheat clock and anti clockwise with wooden spoon or ghotna for at least 10 minutes until sticky.
Tempering
- Heat oil in a pan and fry garlic, cumin seeds and chillies and mint for 1 minute then add to Haleem pot. (Take a taste test before tempering and you may adjust spice by adding to the tempering. )
- Garnish and serve.
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