Chicken Kitchri

Name: Chicken Kitchri
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Tanzanian
Ingredients: 1½ pounds (680 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6)*; 2½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder; ½ cup (120 ml) plain whole-milk yogurt*; 1 to 2 Green bird’s-eye chilis,* thinly sliced, for serving; Freshly cracked black pepper, for serving; Chicken thighs, use any other bone-in, skin-on cut; Olive oil, use ghee or a neutral oil; Olive oil, use ghee or a neutral oil; Olive oil, use ghee or a neutral oil; Yellow onion, use red onion or 2 large shallots; Yellow onion, use red onion or 2 large shallots; Yellow onion, use red onion or 2 large shallots; Red split lentils, use any other quick-cooking lentil variety, or an equal quantity of rice; Red split lentils, use any other quick-cooking lentil variety, or an equal quantity of rice; Basmati rice, use jasmine rice; Basmati rice, use jasmine rice; Water, use broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable); Water, use broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable); Water, use broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable); Water, use broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable); Water, use broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable); Plain yogurt, use Greek yogurt or labneh; Plain yogurt, use Greek yogurt or labneh; Plain yogurt, use Greek yogurt or labneh; Bird’s-eye chilis, use tender herbs such as cilantro, mint, or dill; Bird’s-eye chilis, use tender herbs such as cilantro, mint, or dill

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
1 hr 15

Appears in

Third Culture Cooking

By Zaynab Issa

Published 2025

About

Savory porridge is an extremely familiar concept to me. One was kitchri and kadhi, a lentil and rice–based porridge served with a spiced yogurt sauce. When I first tried Korean dakjuk (similar to Chinese congee), a rice porridge made with chicken, it immediately reminded me of the kitchri my mom used to make. Similarly comforting and cozy, the chicken in it made it feel hearty and filling in a haleem-like way (see Shenaz’s Chicken Haleem). Inspired by thos

Ingredients

Sub-Saharan Africa
Tanzania
Main course
Gluten-free
Low carb
High protein
Keto

Ingredients

Method