Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 small onion--washed & diced in bite-sized pieces
2 stalks celery--washed & diced in bite-sized pieces
2 small carrots--washed & diced in bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves--chopped
2 T (Tablespoons) sesame oil
1 T (Tablespoon) tomato paste
1 T (tablespoon) za'atar spice (see below-- it's strong--I recommend that you use less than one T (Tablespoon) for this dish)
Note: You can sometimes find za'atar in Indian/Asian stores--but you can make it also--
Mix:
1 t (teaspoon) each: oregano; thyme, and sesame seeds--makes 1 Tablespoon of za'atar . You may want to make up more than 1 Tablespoon of za'atar (1 teaspoon of each of the 3 equals 1 Tablespoon)
Mix those three thoroughly...and if you make a lot of it--put in a container with tight lid for cooking this recipe again
And, you also need:
1 t (teaspoon) sea salt
1/4 cup cooking wine (red or white)
1 cup French lentils or any lentils that you have--rinsed and drained--set aside
5 cups of stock or a mixture of stock some water to make 5 cups
2 T (Tablespoons) extra virgin oil
2 large (organic if you can) skinless chicken breasts (bone-in, if possible)--washed and skin removed--I also add in a couple of thighs--bone-in, if possible--washed and skin removed
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Directions: |
Directions:A. If bone is still in chicken--cook it first until it comes off bone easily--try to keep the pieces medium-sized or large-sized
OR:
B. If bone is not in chicken--cook it and when thoroughly cooked--chop up chicken into medium/large pieces
Let the chicken (A or B) cool...
After chicken is cooled a little--measure your amount of za'atar onto a plate (paper is fine)...place chicken pieces on top of za'atar and use a fork to coat the chicken as well as you can--it's sticky.
Let the coated chicken 'sit' for a few minutes with the spices on it
Then:
In large pot: Turn on heat and heat sesame oil (low heat--it burns quickly--and turn your fan on); turn up heat slowly if you need to in order to sauté
Then sauté the onions, celery, and carrots until soft
Add the garlic--sauté a few minutes longer until soft
Add and stir in the tomato paste and stir with the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic
Add the coated chicken coated with za'atar
Add some salt and sauté a few more minutes until the vegetables begin to stick to the pan
De-glaze the pot by splashing the wine on the vegetable pieces that are stuck to the pan--scrape the vegetables off the pot's surface
Then add the drained lentils
Then add the chicken stock or mixture of stock and water over all--and stir it all
Reduce the heat--medium to medium low.
Cover with lid--you may have to let the lid have a small gap if you think the pot will boil over
Simmer the stew for 45 minutes until lentils are soft--they cook quickly...and chicken is done/tender
Taste it when you think it's ready...you may want to add some salt--or even some pepper--or lemon--or...even chopped tomatoes, or ????
TO SERVE:
You may want to splash good olive oil on top of the chicken just before serving. (You can even use olive oil that already has herbs/spices in it)
Serve with prepared Quinoa--and a salad if you want...
If you made a lot--it freezes well--store it in containers in the amounts that you might use for a meal--then you can thaw only what you need when you want |
This recipe for CHICKEN AND LENTIL STEW is from