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stewed chicken and lentils

Easy Chicken and Red Lentils

This easy chicken and red lentils is so quick, so easy, and so delicious. You only need a handful of ingredients for a satisfying and shockingly simple dinner.
5 from 8 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Inactive time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup red lentils (rinsed and picked over)
  • 4 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 1 large lemon; you need about 4 tablespoons of juice in total
  • ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup loosely packed dill, minced; a few dill sprigs reserved for garnish
  • ¼ cup loosely packed parsley, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced oregano leaves; a few leaves reserved for garnish
  • Salt and pepper

For serving:

  • Dukkah (optional)
  • Flatbread or whole-grain wraps; lightly toasted

Instructions

Brown the chicken:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 12–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic powder, paprika, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook the onion:

  • Add the onion to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the red lentils and cook for 1–2 minutes.

Simmer the lentils:

  • Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes until the lentils are tender. The broth will thicken as the lentils break down. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Make the yogurt:

  • Use a microplane to grate off 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into a small bowl. Juice half the lemon into the bowl and set the other half aside. You should have about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the bowl of zest.
  • Add the Greek yogurt to the bowl of juice and zest. Whisk until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and refrigerate until needed.

Finish the chicken:

  • Once the lentils are tender and broken down, taste the stew and add salt and pepper if needed. Add the dill, parsley, and oregano to the pot. Juice the remaining half of the lemon into the stew and add the remaining 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Taste and season. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

To serve:

  • Spoon the chicken and red lentils into shallow bowls. Spoon the yogurt on top and garnish with the remaining fresh dill sprigs and oregano leaves. Sprinkle dukkah on top if you like. Serve with warm flatbread or your favorite whole-grain wrap for dipping. Enjoy!
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