One-Pot Chicken and Lentils 

By Yasmin Fahr

Published September 30, 2024

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour and 10 minutes
Rating
5(4,793)
Comments
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This one-pot chicken and lentils recipe takes a well-spiced blend of pantry staples plus a handful of fresh ingredients and simmers them together for a throw-in-the-pot meal that is both comforting and filling. It relies on bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and the role of the skin is essential: First, it forms a protective shield when seared, preventing the chicken from drying out in the bubbling liquid as it simmers, and helps build flavor as its fat renders. (Thank the skin for its service and discard it before serving.) The finishing touch of lime adds a nearly imperceptible sour flavor, similar to some Persian stews, that rounds out the braising liquid, which is best enjoyed with bread or basmati rice.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 medium carrots, unpeeled and cut into thin rounds

  • Salt and pepper

  • 4 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 ½ to 2 pounds), patted dry

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced

  • 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed

  • 1 lime, halved

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

42 grams carbs; 194 milligrams cholesterol; 717 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 850 milligrams sodium; 46 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion and carrots, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just start to soften, about 3 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Push the carrots and onions to the sides of the pot, creating space in the center. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper, then add them, skin-side down, to the center of the pot. Cook until the skin easily releases from the pan, 7 to 9 minutes, pushing the onions and carrots occasionally. (Everything will be snug and that’s OK!)

  3. Step 3

    Add the tomato paste, cumin, turmeric and garlic to the carrots and onions, stirring as best you can. Flip the chicken, stack the pieces to make some room in the pot to stir, and cook until the tomato paste intensifies and darkens in color, about 2 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add the lentils and 4 cups of water (or more if needed, to fully submerge the lentils and most of the chicken). Adjust the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, and season with salt. Cover with the lid slightly ajar, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, the chicken is cooked through and the flavors blended, 40 to 45 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Stir in half the lime juice, spoon some sauce over the chicken, then taste and season as needed with more lime juice or salt. Finish with a few grinds of pepper and sprinkle with the cilantro before dividing among bowls.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,793 user ratings
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Comments

Jonfenne

Great recipe, odd directions. Browned chicken in oil for 7-9 minutes, removed from pan & set aside. Added Carrots & onions to (now chicken flavored) oil until soften, 3 minutes. Added the tomato paste, cumin, turmeric and garlic to the carrots and onions and stored without needing to move the chicken. Added chicken (& their juices) back to the pot. Added Lentils, & 2 cups water, 2 cups stock and followed the rest of the recipe as written. Will definitely do again.

Coquille

Made it with skinless and boneless thighs—delicious!! Worked perfectly, and then there was no need to discard the skin. Next time will add a dash of red pepper flakes or chili paste.

JKH

Because with this method of cooking, the skin is likely to be rubbery and unappetizing, as opposed to deliciously crispy.

Julia

I left the skins on the chicken and used chicken broth instead of water for more flavor. Also, I agree with the other comments saying it would make more sense to remove the veggies, brown the chicken, and add the veggies back. Overall a delicious and easy dinner!

Waves

Delicious, hearty, and super easy. Used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because that's what I had, and it turned out great. Otherwise stuck to the recipe, aside from going a bit heavy on the garlic.

Justin M

This was very good but I agree with other comments that the order of operations was weird. I browned the chicken thighs first to render the fat, removed them, then cooked the onions and carrots in the rendered fat. Added the garlic, spices, and tomato paste to brown, then the lentils, liquid, and chicken. The one addition I would make is add a little garam masala with the lime juice at the end with the heat off. It adds a warmness to the lentils that really takes it to another level.

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