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Ready to start the new year with a renewed focus on living a healthyish lifestyle? I know I certainly am. If you are too, this easy weeknight chicken and lentil stew is a great recipe to have in your healthy recipe arsenal. It’s made with red lentils which have become a staple in our house – especially in the colder months. They’re great because they’re healthy, they cook quickly, and their red color is sure to brighten up a dreary winter night. I like to buy them in bulk from Whole Foods but you can also pick up a bag at your local supermarket. Once you’ve go your lentils you can whip up this hearty stew in 30 minutes or less. Looking for more red lentil recipes? Try my spicy red lentil chili!
Notes on the Roast Chicken
This is a great recipe for using up leftover roast chicken (or turkey). You need about 2 cups of meat which happens to be about ½ of a typical sized roasting bird. We often have roast chicken for dinner one night and then use the leftovers for this stew. As an added bonus, you can make the chicken stock you will need from the chicken’s bones.
If you don’t happen to have roast chicken on hand, supermarket rotisserie chickens also work perfectly. Again, it takes about half a bird so you can come up with another plan for the rest!
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Weeknight Chicken and Lentil Stew
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This recipe is adapted from “The Winter Table,” one of my new favorite seasonal cookbooks!
Ingredients
Lentil Stew
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 red chili, diced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup red lentils
The Toppings
- 2 cups roast chicken or turkey, shredded
- 1–2 avocados, sliced (about ½ per person)
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- 4 oz grated cheese (montery jack or smoked mozzarella are my favorites)
Instructions
Lentil Stew
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, and chili. Saute over medium heat until soft (approx. 7 minutes).
- Add the spices and let the mixture cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the the crushed tomatoes and increase the heat to high. Cook about 4 minutes and then stir in the chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil and let cook uncovered about 5 minutes.
- Stir in lentils and reduce the heat. Let the stew simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if needed.
- When the lentils are soft the soup is ready. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chicken, half the parsley, and the lime juice. Garnish individual bowls with avocado, parsley, and cheese!
Notes
I like to make this soup when I have leftover roast chicken or turkey hanging around. However, a store bought rotisserie chicken is also a great way to go.
