By Aditi Saraswat
May 25, 2026
Hyderabadi Chicken Haleem is perfect for Eid Al-Adha dinners, slow-cooked until it turns silky and is also deeply satisfying. Filled with lentils, wheat, spices, and the shredded chicken, this hearty dish provides warmth, richness, and the exact flavour of Hyderabad-style cooking.
500 g boneless chicken 1/2 cup broken wheat (dalia) 2 tbsp chana dal 2 tbsp masoor dal 2 tbsp moong dal 2 tbsp urad dal 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 green chillies, chopped 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp black pepper powder 2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp oil Salt to taste 4 cups water For Garnish Fried onions Mint leaves Coriander leaves Lemon wedges Ginger juliennes Ghee drizzle
Wash and soak the broken wheat and all lentils together for at least an hour.
In a pan, heat oil and ghee, then fry the sliced onions until it turns golden brown. Remove half of them for garnish and leave the rest to flavour the haleem base.
To this, now add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies, and cook for a short span before adding chicken, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, and black pepper to it.
Now, mix in the soaked wheat and lentils with water, then pressure cook everything until the chicken turns soft and the grains turn thick, creamy, and get a porridge-like texture.
Shred the cooked chicken straight into the pot and mash the mixture slowly.
Lastly, add garam masala, extra ghee, fried onions, mint, coriander, ginger, and lemon juice from the top and serve hot for a festive meal.