Chicken Dhansak ( Chicken and Split Pea Stew)
Dhansak, a traditional Parsi dish, is a medley of lentils, vegetables and meat. Its has layers of flavor and texture will truly tingle your taste buds and hit the spot. This dish has influences of both Persian and Gujarati cooking. I have adapted this easy version of the Chicken dhansak to be made in the Instant Pot or in a slow cooker as a one pot meal and have used split yellow peas in place of lentils to make this Whole30 compatible. I also simplified the spices so this can be made with basic Indian spices. Chicken Dhansak is a hearty warm meal that can be eaten on its own or served with rice or bread.
Ingredients
- 1 cup1 cup1 cup Split Peas (dried), Can sub with mixture of masoor/chana/toor lentils
- 1 lb1 lb1 lb Chicken Breast, or thigh
- 2 cups2 cups2 cups Acorn Squash, can sub with butternut squash
- 1 whole1 whole1 whole Onion
- 2 whole2 whole2 whole Tomato
- 4 cloves4 cloves4 cloves Garlic, can sub with garlic powder
- 1 pieces1 pieces1 pieces Ginger Root, 1 inch piece, can sub with ginger powder
- 3 cups3 cups3 cups Spinach
- 2 Tbsp2 Tbsp2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1.5 tsp1.5 tsp1.5 tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp2 Tbsp2 Tbsp Ghee, or oil
- 1.5 tsp1.5 tsp1.5 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Paprika, or Chili Powder for heat
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Coriander, Ground
- 1 tsp1 tsp1 tsp Cumin Seed, Whole
- 1 whole1 whole1 whole Bay Leaf
- .25 cup.25 cup.25 cup Fenugreek Leaves, Dried, or Kasoori methi, optional
- 2 Tbsp2 Tbsp2 Tbsp Cilantro, to garnish
- 2 Tbsp2 Tbsp2 Tbsp Green Onion (Scallion), to garnish
Spices
Garnish
Process
Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
Instant pot instructions
- Chop the onions and tomatoes
- Grind or very finely chop the garlic and ginger
- Chop the vegetables that you plan to add to the dhansak - I used acorn squash and spinach. You can add potatoes, others kinds of squash, yams or even eggplant
- Put the instant pot in saute mode and add ghee or oil
- Add a tsp of cumin seeds and let them bloom, then add in the chopped garlic and ginger and bay leaf. Follow with chopped onions and tomatoes.
- Sauté this mix for 5 mins and now add in the chopped chicken. Let the chicken cook on all sides for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the remaining vegetables at this point. You can also deepen the flavors by adding the dried fenugreek leaves.
- Add the spices - garam masala, turmeric, coriander and chilli powder and constantly stir for a few minutes to avoid burning
- Wash the split peas and add these to the instant pot along with 3 cups of water. Close the instant pot lid to sealing and cook everything on manual pressure for 15 minutes.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and add the lemon juice. Finally, garnish with cilantro leaves and chopped scallions.
Slow cooker instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker along with 3 cups of water. Stir to mix well.
- Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours
Notes
- Chicken Dhansak can be cooked in the instant pot or the slow cooker. The instant pot version is slightly more flavorful as you can caramelize the onions and roast the spices to deepen the flavors. It is also creamier as the ingredients integrate together more. The slow cooker version is super easy to make though, as you just have to dump all the ingredients into the cooker and turn it on. I have provided both options, you can choose which appliance to make this in based on your preference.
- This is a great one pot meal which contains proteins, carbs and good fats as well as fiber from all the veggies. Its perfect for the winter months but can be eaten all year round as well.
- You can use a variety of vegetables for this like squash, pumpkin, eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach etc. I would highly recommend to use a starchy squash to give it a sweet tinge which is balanced by the tartness of the lemon juice
- Chicken can be replaced by any other meat and can also be omitted all together for a vegan version
Add a Note
My Notes:
About This Recipe
Show nutritional information
Coconut Free Egg Free Entrées GAPS Gluten Free Grain Free Nut Free Paleo Poultry Shellfish Free Sugar Alcohol Free Sugar FreeThis is our estimate based on online research. | |
Calories: | 496 |
Fat: | 33 g |
Carbohydrates: | 42 g |
Protein: | 45 g |
Cholesterol: | 88 g |
Sodium: | 931 mg |
Fiber: | 11 g |
Sugars: | 1 g |
Sugar Alcohol: | 0 g |
Calculated per serving. |
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