Chicken Braised with Lentils
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes1
hourI love this recipe so does my family. I like to make it ahead and reheat it. It is so good, healthy and boy does it warm you up on cold nights. It is comforting without leaving you felling bulky. It is also delicious for leftovers. It is flavorful and I used lentils I had on hand. This is really wonderful and served with a green vegetable makes it perfect.
Ingredients
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, divided
8 bone in skin on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small can of diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375. Move the oven rack around to accommodate the height of the Dutch oven.
- Combine 1 teaspoon paprika with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pat chicken dry and rub with spice mixture.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin side down and cook until well browned about 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add can of tomatoes, onion, carrots, remaining salt and pepper to the fat in the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often until tomatoes begin to break down about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook stirring constantly until it begins to foam.
- Stir in broth, scraping brown bits off the bottom of the pan, stir in lentils and remaining smoked paprika. Nestle the chicken, skin side up, among the lentils.Bring to simmer over high heat and transfer pot to the oven uncovered until chicken registers 185 about 40 min.
- Transfer chicken to clean plate. Return pot to stove and continue to cook lentil mixture over medium heat about 5-8 more minutes. Add vinegar and whisk vigorously until creamy about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve chicken on top of the lentils with cilantro and salt and pepper.
