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Keralan-spiced Chicken with Red Lentil Dal & Roast Kale

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High protein 1/3 daily fibre New 5 plants Low sat fat Nutrient dense Smaller portion

Keralan-spiced Chicken with Red Lentil Dal & Roast Kale

Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Cuisine: Indian
Food group: Poultry

This recipe is designed to be more nutrient dense, and packed into a smaller portion. A warming curry, perfect for colder weeknights. You'll coat tender free-range British chicken breasts with a fragrant blend of spices, then roast until golden. Serve on top of a creamy red lentil dal, packed with flavour. Add crispy roast kale on the side for a pop of green. Finish with a drizzle of yoghurt, to balance the heat.

Cooking Instructions

The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.

As of December 2025, we've revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.

Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.

Before you start

  • Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Pull out a medium lidded frying pan, a measuring jug & a grater

Get started

  • Finely dice the shallot. Halve the tomatoes. Finely chop or grate the ginger and garlic. Zest and halve the lime
  • Heat the medium frying pan with 1/2 tsp olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and cook for 4-5 mins, until softening. Season with salt and pepper
  • Add the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, lime zest, tomato puree and half the Keralan spice mix and cook for a further 2 mins

Simmer the dal & roast the chicken

  • Add the lentils and 350ml hot water (175ml for 1 person) to the pan and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for 20-25 mins, until the lentils are cooked. Season with salt and pepper
  • Place the chicken onto the lined baking tray, drizzle with 1/2 tsp olive oil, rub with the remaining Keralan spice mix and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 21 mins, until cooked through

Time for kale

  • Meanwhile, rinse the kale leaves, then strip from the stalks and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • When the chicken has 5-6 mins remaining, push it to one side of the tray and drizzle with the honey. Add the kale to the other side of the tray, toss with 1/2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
  • Roast together for the final 5-6 mins, until the chicken is sticky and cooked through and the kale is golden and crisp

Final touches

  • Roughly chop the coriander
  • Remove the dal from the heat, then stir in half the coriander, the juice from half the lime and half the yoghurt. Mix until creamy and season to taste

Plate up

  • Check your chicken is cooked through by cutting a large piece in half; the flesh should be white and the juices running clear
  • Slice the chicken against the grain into three pieces
  • Share the lentil dal between bowls, topped with the sliced chicken and crispy kale. Drizzle over the remaining yoghurt. Sprinkle with the remaining coriander and garnish with the remaining lime, cut into wedges

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