Chicken Dhansak — Freddie Mercury’s Favourite (High-Protein, Gluten-Free)

Chicken Dhansak is a rich, spiced Parsi curry made with chicken thighs, lentils, spinach, and tamarind. This healthier version serves 2, takes 40 minutes, and delivers approximately 603 kcal and 50g of protein per serving.

Okay so here is a fun fact for your next dinner party – Freddie Mercury’s all-time favourite food was chicken dhansak. Not caviar, not some elaborate Michelin-starred thing. A lentil curry. And honestly? Respect. Dhansak is a Parsi dish, and Freddie was Parsi, born in Zanzibar to Indian Parsi parents, so this was genuinely the food of his heritage and his childhood.

This is my version and it’s part of my What Do Rockstars Eat series where I take the favourite foods of music legends and quietly make them work harder nutritionally. Skinless thighs, pre-cooked lentils, a bag of spinach, and no cream or ghee in sight. It still tastes completely, unapologetically like dhansak. It just also happens to have 50g of protein per bowl, which Freddie would probably have appreciated given the energy required to perform Bohemian Rhapsody live.

A few things worth knowing before you start:

• Tamarind paste is the ingredient that makes dhansak taste like dhansak and not just a lentil curry. Do not skip it. It is in every supermarket now.
• Fenugreek seeds go in first and get toasted — this is not optional, it is the flavour foundation of the whole dish.
• Pre-cooked lentils from a pouch or tin are completely fine here. Drain and tip straight in.

Key Ingredients

Skinless chicken thighs — more flavour than breast, stays tender during simmering. Use breast if you want to drop calories to around 480–500 kcal per serving.

Pre-cooked lentils (250g) — the nutritional hero. They contribute 20g of protein and 14g of fibre to the whole batch and thicken the sauce beautifully.

Tamarind paste — gives dhansak its sweet-sour signature depth. A squeeze of lemon is an emergency substitute but it is not the same.

Fenugreek seeds — slightly bitter, slightly maple-like, completely characteristic of authentic dhansak. Toast them in the oil for 30 seconds before anything else goes in.

Spinach — stirred in at the end, adds iron and folate, wilts in two minutes and disappears into the sauce. The courgette trick, curry edition.

As a certified nutrition coach, the thing I love most about this dish is that it genuinely does not feel like it has been nutritionally upgraded. It tastes exactly like a proper dhansak should. The lentils are structural, the spices are bold, the tamarind is doing its thing. You just also happen to be eating 50g of protein and 8g of fibre for dinner. Freddie would be fine with that.

For another recipe in the What Do Rockstars Eat series, this one for David Bowie, take a look at my healthy shepherd’s pie.

Alex 🙂

Chicken Dhansak — Freddie Mercury’s Favourite (High-Protein, Gluten-Free)

Freddie Mercury's all-time favourite — a rich, deeply spiced Parsi chicken and lentil curry made healthier with skinless thighs, pre-cooked lentils, and spinach. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and 50g of protein per serving. Put Bohemian Rhapsody on while it simmers.

Author: Alex Botting Cooking Method: One Pot, Stovetop Cuisine: Indian Courses: Dinner, Lunch Recipe Keys: Gluten Free High Fibre High Protein

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Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 40 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 2 Estimated Cost: $ 14 Calories: 603 kcal Best Season: Suitable throughout the year Dietary:

G Gluten Free H High Fibre H High Protein

Ingredients

US Customary Metric

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Servings

• 400 g skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 250 g pre-cooked lentils, drained
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 80 g spinach, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¹⁄₂ tsp chilli powder
• ¹⁄₂ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the fenugreek seeds and toast for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and golden.
   
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in all the ground spices and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
   
3. Add the chicken and stir to coat in the spices. Cook for 4–5 minutes until sealed on all sides.
   
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, and tamarind paste. Add the lentils, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer.
   
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
   
6. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
   
7. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice, topped with fresh coriander.
   

Nutrition Facts

603kcal

Calories

50g

Protein

44g

Carbs

24.5g

Fat

8.2g

Fiber

10g

Sugar

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Nutrition Facts

Servings: 2 ServingCalories:603kcalTotal Fat:24.5gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium:520mgTotal Carbohydrate:44gDietary Fiber: 8.2gSugars: 10gProtein:50g

Note

• Fenugreek seeds must be toasted first — 30 seconds in hot oil before anything else goes in
• Tamarind paste is non-negotiable for authentic dhansak flavour
• Pre-cooked lentils from any pouch or tin work perfectly — just drain and add
• For a leaner version, use chicken breast — reduces calories to approximately 480–500 kcal per serving
• This curry genuinely improves overnight — excellent for meal prepGluten-free and dairy-free as written

Keywords: Chicken Dhansak, Authentic dhansak recipe, Dhansak recipe, Chicken dhansak recipe, Healthy chicken dhansak, Freddie Mercury dhansak

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