One-Pot Chicken and Lentils 

By Yasmin Fahr

Published Oct. 1, 2024

One-Pot Chicken and Lentils 
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour and 10 minutes
Rating
5(4,353)
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
  • 2tablespoons olive oil
  • 1yellow or red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2medium carrots, unpeeled and cut into thin rounds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 to 6bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1½ to 2 pounds), patted dry
  • 2tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2garlic cloves, grated or minced
  • 1cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1lime, halved
  • 2tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

585 calories; 31 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 803 milligrams sodium

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
4,353 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.

Rod K

I pretty much cooked this recipe exactly as it's written. The only difference is 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken stock and it really came out absolutely delicious cooked for a female friend of mine and she was very impressed so that's always a plus. I made everything in one pot just like it says I used a very large frying pan that also doubles as a Dutch oven. I removed the chicken skin and that was definitely the best thing to do. I think using chicken thighs is also a better option than using chicken breast. It gives the dish a much deeper flavor. This is going on my list of favorites.

GeeGeeSC

Way too much water for the dutch oven I used - maybe 2.5 cups instead of 4? Took forever for the liquid to evaporate. Would also use broth or stock instead. But it's an easy delicious healthy recipe. Will make again.

Claude D.

Followed the revised directions, browned the chicken first then did the rest, putting chicken on later in the game. Great flavours but I too added a bit of chile to the mix to take it up a notch. Simple, easy and a really pleasant dish for a relaxing sunday evening with the family

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