Curry Chicken Lentil Stew

Course: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Fusion, Mediterranean

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Cozy and comforting one-pot stew with layers of flavor that kids and adults alike love.

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup dried lentils green or brown
water
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 pound ground chicken or boneless chicken breast or thighs
sea salt to taste
¾ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups carrot
1 onion
1 bell pepper
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
28 ounces crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce
13 ounces coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Prep the Ingredients: Add lentils to a bowl and cover by one inch with cool water. Soak for up to two hours, then drain. (optional)
1 ¼ cup dried lentils, water
Warm one tablespoon of oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season chicken with a few pinches of salt and pepper, then add to pot and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from pot.
3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound ground chicken, sea salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper
Meanwhile, dice carrot, onion, and bell pepper, and crush or mince the garlic.
4 cups carrot, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 6 cloves garlic
Build the Flavor: Reduce heat to medium, then add remaining olive oil, followed by prepped carrot, bell pepper, and onion, curry powder, ginger, black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper. Cook until onion is tarting to soften and the mixture is very fragrant (about five minutes), then add garlic and cook for one minute more.
1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Simmer and Serve: Pour in the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, and chicken broth, then stir to combine and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir the chicken back in, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 13 ounces coconut milk, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf
Simmer until the lentils are tender (about 30 minutes), then remove from heat and serve.

Notes

Modifications

You can easily double this dish if you use a bigger stock pot.

I've made this recipe with boneless chicken cuts, including ground chicken, thighs, breasts, and tenders, so feel free to grab what's already in your kitchen. Just cut it into bite-sized pieces if you aren't using ground chicken. You can also substitute the meat for other poultry--lentil turkey stew tastes almost identical!

Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth to make this stew completely plant based.

Storage

Store your cooked stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It actually gets better with time, and keeps for up to five days.

To freeze, allow the stew to come to room temperature. I recommend dividing the stew into portions and freezing in individual airtight, freezer-safe containers or Souper Cubes (my preference) for easy reheating. Either way, they will keep for up to six months!

Nutrition