Chicken Mulligatawny Soup — A Christmas Bowl Worthy of MawMaw’s Table

Christmas Day and MawMaw Shirley was here by nine in the morning, which means she left Baker at eight thirty because MawMaw does not arrive late to anything and certainly not to her own family's Christmas. She brought three pies, two dozen rolls, a pot of bread pudding with whiskey sauce, and her gumbo packed in a cooler that Daddy would need both arms to carry, which he did without complaint because he knows which battles to choose.

We opened gifts in the morning — nothing extravagant, but thoughtful. Daddy gave me a new notebook set, the exact kind I prefer, which means he has been paying attention even when it seems like he is not. Mama gave me a kitchen timer that is also a thermometer because she said I was ready to cook with actual temperature data now and not just instinct. Kayla gave me a drawing she had done of MawMaw Shirley's kitchen, exact in every detail — the cast iron pot on the stove, the step stool I used to stand on, the light from the back window. I held it for a long time.

Lunch was MawMaw's gumbo, which was perfect as always, served with white rice that I cooked myself while she supervised with the level of oversight she gives things she has decided to trust. We had MawMaw's bread pudding for dessert, warm from the oven with whiskey sauce that the adults added and that Kayla and I did not, which made ours a little simpler and slightly less interesting but still excellent.

After dinner MawMaw and Mama sat at the kitchen table and talked and Daddy watched football and Kayla drew and I sat between both groups, doing what I have always done: watching, listening, filing everything away for later use. This is my Christmas tradition. I observe and I learn and I eat everything MawMaw Shirley makes, because there is no better way to celebrate than that.

MawMaw Shirley’s gumbo is hers and hers alone — I would not attempt to replicate it, and she would not want me to. But the feeling of standing over a big pot on Christmas morning, building layers of flavor while the house fills with noise and wrapping paper and people you love — that I can recreate. This chicken mulligatawny soup gives me the same warmth: a deeply spiced, hearty bowl that feeds a crowd and rewards the kind of patience MawMaw has been teaching me all along. It is not her gumbo, but it is the same kind of love in a pot.

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Build the base. Melt the butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Toast the spices. Add the garlic, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for another minute to coat the vegetables and eliminate the raw flour taste.
3. Add the liquids. Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the diced apple and the whole chicken thighs. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer low and slow. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
5. Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Shred with two forks. While the chicken rests, stir the rice into the pot and continue simmering, covered, for 15 minutes until the rice is tender.
6. Finish the soup. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
7. Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot with crusty bread or white rice on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 285 | Protein: 18g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 680mg