Chicken and Red Lentil Chili

This lentil chili is a hearty meal that will satisfy that hungry tummy of yours! Make this hearty Chicken and Red Lentil Chili for a filling meal on a chilly night. It’ll warm you right up!

The weather has just been all over the place here in Texas this Winter! Plants are blooming that shouldn’t be because they are so confused.  Yesterday, it was in the low sixties, and we enjoyed a nice walk to the store to pick up something we needed to fix my husband’s bicycle. Today, it’s gloomy and never made it out of the fifties. The forecast yesterday showed that it was going to be 66° and partly sunny. Chillier weather is coming this weekend, along with what might be a wintry mix for our area. 🙁  So anyway, it looks like it’s going to be a great weekend to serve up some soup or maybe this Chicken and Red Lentil Chili.

By the way, if you’ve never eaten red lentils, you have really got to give them a try! I just recently purchased my first bag, and I can see why my mom loves them so much. Red lentils get really soft when cooked and don’t hold their shape the same way that other varieties do. They can be used to thicken a soup or as a puree. As they breakdown during cooking, they really add a nice thickness to this chili.

If you have someone in your life that isn’t a fan of regular lentils, give these a try. They might just change their mind about lentils. Puree them and they won’t even know they’re eating them! 😉

*This may thicken up overnight, so you may need to add a little extra liquid when re-heating the next day.

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Chicken and Red Lentil Chili

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Author Tempie Hughes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp . ghee , coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 lb . ground chicken
• 1 medium white onion , diced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 oregano
• 1/8 tsp ground cayenne
• 1 tsp fine sea salt or salt to taste
• 1-1/2 cups red lentils , rinsed
• 1 cup strained tomatoes (or puree)
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• Garnishes:
• sour cream
• green onions
• tortilla strips or chips

Instructions

• In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Add the onions and let cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices and let cook for about another minute.
• Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the chili has thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the fresh lime juice, then serve topped with your preferred garnishes.

Notes

This chili can thicken up overnight, so you may need to add a little liquid when re-heating.

By Tempie at September 6, 2017.