Black & Red Lentil Stew with Pulled Chicken Leg Meat, Black Kale, Hemp Hearts & Hemp Oil, braised with Tomatoes, Eggplant, Zucchini, Aromatics & a blend of Herbs
DAIRY-FREE/GLUTEN-FREE//LOW-CARB/MEDITERRANEAN DIET/PALEO
Total: 50 minutes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Allergens: tree nuts
Hemp & Lentil Ratatouille with Pulled Chicken
Healthy can be hearty, and this recipe is a great example of it! This dish takes the classic flavors of the French comfort stew and is folded in slow braised black and red lentils, infused with aromatics and a blend of herbs, then topped with kale and pulled chicken. Make this complete meal for lunch, dinner or as meal prep for your days ahead.
Warm up your belly with this macro and micronutrient dense version of a ratatouille with succulent braised chicken legs, fiber-rich and protein packed lentils, and omega-6 loaded hemp. All the diced vegetables in this stew also provide your full daily recommended intake of vitamin A and C!
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Ingredients
- 2 organic chicken legs
- 1 tablespoon of hemp oil
- ½ cup of red lentils
- ½ cup of black lentils
- 5 cups of low sodium chicken/vegetable stock OR water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme OR ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
- ½ medium bell pepper, diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- ½ heirloom tomato, diced
- ½ medium eggplant, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 sprig of fresh oregano OR 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts
- 1-½ cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
- 15 leaves of basil, chopped
- 6 leaves of black/dino kale OR 1 cup packed regular/baby kale
Steps
1.) Begin by searing your (unseasoned) chicken legs in the hemp oil on medium high heat in a cast iron pot, for about 5 minutes on each side. You want the skin to be golden brown for maximum flavor!
2.) Remove the chicken legs from the pot and put them aside on a plate to catch juices. Add both kinds of lentils, fresh thyme, bay leaf in the pot and stir to combine. Place the browned chicken legs on top of the lentils.
3.) Add your stock/broth/water in the pot, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the chicken pulls apart easily from the bone.
4.) Cut all your vegetables you need for the ratatouille part of this dish
5.) In a different pot, add all your diced veggies, oregano, tomato paste, hemp hearts, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon. Bring this to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook this for 18-20 minutes or until all the water is reduced, the veggies are soft and it has thickened a bit.
6.) When the chicken legs are done, pull them out of the pot and let them cool on the counter for 5 minutes or until they are safe enough to handle with your hands. Pull the chicken leg meat with gloved hands or two forks if they’re too hot. Toss the bones in the trash.
7.) Add the ratatouille base, dino kale, fresh basil in the braised lentil pot and stir to combine. Cook this on a simmer for 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Add the pulled chicken meat to the stew, stir to combine and taste. Since you didn’t season the chicken, I suggest you temper the salt in this step. Salt and pepper to your liking.
8.) Ladle the stews into bowls, top with extra hemp hearts, a dash of olive oil and some fresh parsley or basil. Enjoy your new favorite go to lentil stew recipe!
Tips
- The reason behind not seasoning the chicken is so that the lentils come out tender. I find that salting the braising liquid for any kind of lentil causes the exterior to break down longer resulting in more cooking time and a gritty texture. Also, use low sodium stock and salt your stew at the end to bring out all those flavors.
- When searing your chicken, don’t move your meat until it’s ready to flip in 4-5 minutes after searing it. If you do, the chicken could stick to the bottom of your pot.
- The amount of stock that you put in this is up to you as well. If you want something soupier, add more. If you want something more like a thick stew, then add less.
Q&A
- I don’t have red or black lentils, can I use green? Yes. The taste is just as great!
- Can I use a different part of the chicken? Chicken breast works great in this recipe as well. Braise them for 10 minutes after searing them on each side for 5 minutes since they cook a whole lot quicker than the legs.
Related: Click here for Dr. Igor’s Easy Baked Salmon with Roasted Castelvetrano Olives Recipe.