Spiced Chicken & Apple Mulligatawny
A warming, Indian-inspired soup blending tender chicken, sweet apples, and earthy red lentils. Rich in complex flavors and designed to keep your energy steady all day.
The perimenopause lens
A cautious perimenopause lens
These tags explain why the recipe may appear in Lila. They are prompts for noticing your own patterns—not evidence that this meal treats a symptom.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthLow energy
Check how the whole meal lands
Food is one part of energy. Notice meal timing, sleep and symptoms together rather than assigning the result to one nutrient.
Track: energy 1–3 hours later
Joint discomfort
Bring patterns, not guesses
Record timing, severity and movement alongside meals or supplements. New, persistent or worsening pain needs clinical attention.
Track: stiffness + movement
Digestive comfort
Let tolerance guide the portion
Fiber, portion size and ingredients land differently for everyone. Increase unfamiliar foods gradually and notice comfort.
Track: comfort + portion
Fatigue
Separate a pattern from one day
Notice energy alongside sleep, meals and symptoms across several days. Ongoing fatigue deserves a clinical conversation.
Track: energy + previous night
Before you start
Your 40-minute game plan
Gather everything first, then tap ingredients and steps as you go.
Equipment
Oven · Large pot
Time saver
Storage: Lentils absorb liquid as they sit, so this soup will thicken in the fridge overnight. When reheating, just add a splash of water or extra broth to reach your desired consistency.
Do these three things first
- 1Prep cup dry red lentils (rinsed), medium carrots (diced), medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 2Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 3Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
From Your Pantry
Cook along
One clear step at a time
0 of 8 steps complete
Next: Heat the olive oil in a large…
- 01
Heat the olive oil in a large…
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and diced carrots, sautéing for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Tap card to mark done - 02
Add the garlic and ginger and cook…
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of…
Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of curry powder, a generous pinch of salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices are highly fragrant.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Pour in the chicken bone broth
Pour in the chicken bone broth, using a spoon to scrape up any browned spices from the bottom of the pot.
Tap card to mark done - 05
Add the diced Granny Smith apple
Add the diced Granny Smith apple, the rinsed red lentils, and the whole chicken breasts. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
Tap card to mark done - 06
Reduce the heat to low
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the chicken is fully cooked through.
Tap card to mark done - 07
Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting…
Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks.
Tap card to mark done - 08
Return the shredded chicken to the soup
Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir in the spinach just until wilted (or simmer kale for 2 to 3 minutes until tender). Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving hot.
Tap card to mark done
The nutrition underneath
Why this bowl holds together
Storage
Storage: Lentils absorb liquid as they sit, so this soup will thicken in the fridge overnight. When reheating, just add a splash of water or extra broth to reach your desired consistency.
Flavor Boost
Flavor Boost: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over your bowl just before eating to brighten the deep curry flavors and further enhance your body's ability to absorb the non-heme iron from the lentils.
Time Saver
Time Saver: You can easily substitute pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. Simply skip boiling the raw breast, let the lentils simmer until tender, and stir in the shredded pre-cooked chicken during the last 5 minutes to warm through.
Your symptoms change. Your plan should too.
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