Turmeric Chicken & Lentil Stew Recipe

Ingredients

2 chicken thighs & 2 chicken drumsticks
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
A thumb of turmeric
200g chard
250g cherry vine tomatoes
1 chilli
2 tsp ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick
150g dried red lentils
1 chicken stock cube
600ml boiling water
1 lemon

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Method

1. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a large pan and warm to a medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks onto a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to carefully make 2 slashes into the thickest parts of each piece. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and fry for 5 mins on each side, till well browned.

2. Meanwhile, peel and slice the onions. Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Peel the turmeric and finely grate it (turmeric stains, so you may want to do this on a plate or wipe clean board and protect your clothes with an apron). Separate the leaves and stalks of the chard. Thinly slice the stalks (keep the leaves for later on in the recipe). Halve the cherry vine tomatoes. Slice the chilli in half, flicking out the seeds and membrane for less heat. Finely chop the chilli.

3. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate. Return the pan to the heat and add another 1 tbsp oil if needed. Slide in the onions and chopped chard stalks. Fry for 5 mins, till slightly softened.

4. Stir the garlic, turmeric and chilli into the pan. Add 2 tsp ground cumin and the cinnamon stick. Cook for a further 1 min.

5. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan. Tip in the red lentils. Pour in 600ml boiling water, crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Nestle the chicken into the pan and pour in any juices from the plate. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 mins, or till the chicken is cooked through.

6. While the chicken is cooking, shred the chard leaves. When the chicken is cooked, stir the chard into the pan till the leaves begin to wilt.

7. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, have a taste of the sauce and add more salt or pepper if needed. Ladle the stew into a couple of warm bowls and serve.