Chicken Haleem with Cracked Wheat and Lentils

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-14 · Updated 2026-10-14

Cracked wheat, barley and four kinds of lentils slow-cook with spiced shredded chicken until thick and creamy. It's served the traditional way, topped with crispy fried onions, ginger, mint, green chilies and lemon. This Pakistani-inspired chicken recipe (high-protein), ready in about 180 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, pearl barley, soaked overnight, masoor dal (red lentils) for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (900 g) bone-in chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 cup cracked wheat (daliya), soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup pearl barley, soaked overnight
• 1/3 cup chana dal (split chickpeas), soaked 2 hours
• 1/4 cup masoor dal (red lentils)
• 1/4 cup moong dal (split yellow mung beans)
• 2 tbsp urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/2 cup, divided ghee or vegetable oil
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp, divided garam masala
• 2 tsp, or to taste salt
• 10 cups, divided water or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

The blender we’d make this in → Best Blenders for 2026: Top Picks + Smoothie Season Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Drain the soaked cracked wheat, barley and chana dal. Put them in a large pot with the masoor, moong and urad dal, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, stirring now and then, until everything is very soft. Add more water if it gets too thick.
2. Step 2: Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup of the ghee in a separate pot and fry the sliced onions for 12-15 minutes, until crisp and deep golden. Lift out half of the onions, drain them on paper towels and set aside for garnish.
3. Step 3: Add the ginger-garlic paste to the onions left in the pot and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and sear for 5 minutes.
4. Step 4: Stir in the yogurt, chili powder, the remaining 1/2 tsp turmeric, the coriander, cumin, 1 tsp garam masala and the remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until the oil separates.
5. Step 5: Add 2 cups of water, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is falling off the bone. Take out the chicken, discard the bones, and shred the meat finely with two forks. Keep the cooking liquid.
6. Step 6: Blend the cooked grain-and-lentil mixture with an immersion blender (or mash it with a wooden ghotni) until thick and mostly smooth.
7. Step 7: Add the shredded chicken and its cooking liquid to the grain mixture along with the remaining 2 cups of water. Cook on low for 30 minutes, stirring vigorously and often so it doesn't stick. The haleem should become thick and stretchy.
8. Step 8: Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of ghee until shimmering, stir in the remaining 1 tsp garam masala, and pour it over the haleem (the baghaar).
9. Step 9: Serve in bowls topped with the fried onions, julienned ginger, mint, cilantro, green chilies, a sprinkle of chaat masala and lemon wedges.