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Easy Chicken Haleem (30 mins Instant Pot Recipe)

A comforting wholesome recipe filled with chicken, cracked wheat, lentils and spices. The mixture is cooked in the instant pot for 30 minutes, blended and served with fried onions on top. Perfect with rice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Iftar, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Instant pot
  • Spatula
  • Food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup ghee
  • 2 cups onions sliced
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 400 gm chicken thighs boneless
  • 1/2 cup cracked wheat
  • 1/2 cup split channa dal
  • 1/4 cup urad dal black gram split
  • 1/4 cup masoor dal red lentils
  • 1/4 cup toor dal pigeon peas
  • 1 tbsp cumin powder
  • 800 ml chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp pepper powder
  • 2 tsp ginger powder
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 inch ginger slices
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 1/4 cup fried onions

Serve with

  • Rice/Roti

Instructions
 

  • We start by switching on the instant pot and setting it to the sauté setting, add the ghee and let it melt as it heats up. Add the onions, ginger garlic paste and fry with the chicken thighs until the onions have a little color on them and the chicken also has a little color on the outside. Add all the spices and stir together.
  • Add the lentils, cracked wheat and stir well. Pour in the chicken stock and stir around. Add the instant pot lid on the top and turn the setting to pressure cook, set the timer to 20 minutes and let it do its thing. In this time the whistle will blow a couple of times.
  • Once the 20 mins mark is up, release the steam with the button on top of the lid. After all the steam is released, gently open the lid. Stir the mixture around.
  • Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until combined (If you used meat with bones, make sure to shred the meat before blending). I don’t like blending everything, I blend 3/4th of the mixture and leave 1/4 of the mixture whole.
  • Stir everything together once blended and taste, season at this point and add a little lime juice as well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, fried onions and ginger. Serve with rice and roti.

Notes

  • If you are using meat with bones, make sure to shred the meat before blending.
  • You can buy fried onions or make them at home by slicing onions and frying them in oil, let them drain on kitchen paper towel.
  • Smoking the Haleem - if you want to smoke the haleem, burn two pieces of coal on direct fire. Use a pair of tongs to ensure it is burning evenly by turning the pieces around. Once the pieces are hot you will see the color of the coal change from black to ash grey and below that the color will be deep red. This means it is extremely HOT. Place the hot pieces of coal on a large piece of foil and add a spoon of ghee on it, smoke will start coming out, place the foil into the instant pot and cover it. Make sure to seal the lid to ensure the smoke doesn't escape. Let this smoke for 10 minutes minimum. This is how we smoke food at home. Check out my Lamb kebab recipe to see how I smoked that too.