Chicken with Bengal Gram – One Bowl, 32g Protein, IBS-Friendly
Whole spices crackled in olive oil, a proper masala built with onion, tomato, and ginger garlic paste, pre-soaked and pre-boiled Bengal gram added with chicken leg pieces and cooked until soft and absorbed. This chicken with Bengal gram is a complete one-bowl meal — 32g of protein per serving, 357 calories, no rice needed. IBS-friendly because the chana is pre-soaked and pre-boiled and every aromatic is fully cooked before serving. Serves 2 .
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker For cooking Bengal Gram
- 1 Stainless Steel Wok with Lid
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
For the whole spice base:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 1 bay leaf tejpatta
- 1 dry whole dry red chilli lal mirch
- 1 small cinnamon stick dalchini
- 2 cardamom pods elaichi
For the masala
- 2 medium onions pyaaz, sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste adrak lahsun paste
- 2 medium tomatoes tamatar, chopped
- 1 tsp coriander powder dhania
- 1 tsp salt namak — adjust to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tsp lal mirch powder red chilli powder — for colour
Main ingredients:
- 100 g dry chana dal or Bengal gram kala chana, soaked overnight and pre-boiled until soft
- 500 g chicken leg pieces — 6 pieces bone-in
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Prep the chana — Soak 100g dry Bengal gram in cold water overnight. Drain. Boil in fresh water for 25–35 minutes until completely soft (crushes easily between fingers). Drain and set aside.
- Crackle whole spices — Heat olive oil in a heavy kadai or pan on medium. Add jeera, tejpatta, dry red chilli, dalchini, and elaichi. Let crackle for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Do not burn.
- Fry onion — Add sliced onion. Cook 8–10 minutes on medium, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly golden at the edges.
- Cook ginger garlic paste — Add adrak lahsun paste. Fry 2–3 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the paste has dried slightly and stuck to the pan.
- Build the masala — Add chopped tomatoes, dhania powder, salt, haldi, and lal mirch powder. Stir well. Cook 8–10 minutes, pressing tomatoes as they soften, until the oil separates and pools at the edges. This is your signal the masala is ready.
- Add chana and chicken — Add pre-boiled Bengal gram and chicken leg pieces. Stir to coat in masala. Add ½ cup water. Cover with lid, reduce to medium-low, cook 20–25 minutes.
- Check doneness — Cut the thickest piece near the bone — no pink, juices run clear. Chana should be fully soft and masala absorbed.
- Serve hot — As a complete one-bowl meal. A few slices of raw cucumber on the side for contrast.
Video
Notes
The oil separating from masala in Step 5 is the most important visual cue in this recipe — do not add the chicken before this happens. For meal prep: pre-boil a large chana batch on Sunday and refrigerate in portions. Reheat leftovers in a pan on low with a splash of water to loosen the gravy.
One Bowl, 32g Protein, 357 calorie, IBS-Friendly