This is a new recipe to me. A colleague shared it recently and it's already become one of my favorites, especially on a cold, blustery day. As with most soups & stews, it's even better the next day.
Ingredients:
- 2.25 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups water
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced (1/4" - 1/2")
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced (1/4" - 1/2")
- 1.5 C of carrots, finely diced (1/4" - 1/2")
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cardamon
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 sweet potato or yellow potato, finely diced (1/4" - 1/2")
- 1 large Granny Smith or other sweet-tart apple, finely diced (1/4" - 1/2")
Accompaniments and garnishes:
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- Greek yogurt for garnishing
- Chopped cilantro for garnishing
Directions:
1. In a large pot, simmer the chicken thighs in water until fully cooked and temperature reaches 165 F. Remove the chicken thighs, saving the cooking water, and roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces. Add more water or chicken broth/stock to make 4 cups. Return the chicken to the pan.
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and sweat them for 5-10 minutes until desired tenderness. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the chicken and stock.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (turmeric through apple) to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer until lentils are cooked to desired tenderness, 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve over basmati rice. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.
