This super tasty chicken and lentil curry recipe is bursting with flavor and warmth. It's a creamy, indulgent, and simple-to-make meal featuring red lentils and flavorful chicken pieces. Perfect for a cozy fall or winter evening. I absolutely adore dishes that give that warm and comforting feeling during the cold fall and winter seasons.
We are huge fans of curry dishes! They often feature simple, easy-to-find ingredients that come together to create an explosion of flavors. If you enjoy spices, then you'll definitely love curry. We like to add habanero to our curry dishes for an extra kick. The fruity undertones of the habanero take the Chicken and Lentil Curry to the next level. It's the kind of spiciness that keeps you reaching for more. Some other exciting curry recipes that are packed with flavor and are lower in calories include Spicy Curry Chicken and Broccoli, Spicy Shrimp Curry, Cheesy Chicken, and Air Fryer Thai Red Curry with tofu and potatoes.
What is Chicken and Lentil Curry?
We've been experimenting with different chicken curry recipes, and recently we've been really into lentils. We added lentils to the latest batch, and it turned out amazing!
This amazing chicken and lentil curry recipe is packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients. It's made with juicy chicken, nutritious broccoli, and red lentils. You can use any type of lentils, like red or green if you prefer. We've also added curry powder, yogurt, chicken broth, cumin, onion, garlic, and ginger to make it extra tasty. It's the perfect dish to enjoy over a bed of fluffy rice for a satisfying and complete dinner
So Easy to make. . . make sure to save some for leftovers!!!
One of the best things about this dish is that it's all made in one pan and takes less than 40 minutes from start to finish. The flavors are so amazing that it will make your taste buds sing! Plus, there are always leftovers, and we've found that it's even better the next day. So, if you want to make your coworkers jealous, be sure to save some for your lunch. Just wait until you heat it up in the office microwave – everyone will be asking, "What smells so good?"
if someone snags your chicken and lentil curry lunch, you'll definitely be able to track them down with that amazing aroma!!!
Prep the ingredients!!!!
Before we start cooking, I always like to make sure everything is prepared and ready to go. So, for this dish prep:
Chop the onion, and finely chop the ginger and garlic. Then, cut the chicken breast into small, bite-size pieces. After that, measure out the spices (curry, turmeric, cumin, chicken bouillon, and sea salt) and place them in a small bowl. Lastly, cut the broccoli into small pieces, including the stems. By the way, the broccoli stems are the best part - they're sweet and full of flavor!
How to make Chicken and Lentil Curry???
Once you've finished prepping, heat up some olive oil in a sauté pan and toss in the onions, garlic, and ginger. Let them cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Then, add in the spices and cook for a minute or so until they become nice and fragrant. Next, add the chicken breast and cook it. If the spices start to stick, don't worry, just keep cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. Finally, pour in the chicken broth and bring the whole mixture to a boil.
First, rinse the lentils. Then, stir them into the curry and add the broccoli. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, which should take around 8 to 10 minutes.
IMPORTANT STEP: After the broth has cooked down add the yogurt to the chicken and lentil curry, make sure not to just dump it in. That might cause it to curdle, which we want to avoid. So we need to temper the yogurt. To do this take about ½ cup to one cup of the hot broth and mix it into the yogurt. This will gently heat the yogurt and prevent curdling. Once the yogurt is tempered we can mix the yogurt with the rest of the chicken and lentil curry.
Only one more step after this
The final step is to serve this yumminess over rice and ENJOY!!!
Tips for Chicken and Lentil Curry:
- Before Adding the yogurt to the chicken and lentil curry, make sure to temper it first to prevent the curry from curdling.
- If the spices start to stick to the pan when cooking the chicken, don't worry! Just add ½ cup of water if it gets too browned. No need to add a lot of olive oil – it tastes great but has calories.
- Use any type of lentil for this recipe – red, yellow, or green. They all work perfectly!
- And don't forget to use the broccoli stems – they're absolutely delicious! We love snacking on them after removing the tough layer of the stem.. They're the best part of the broccoli!
We have some other fantastic recipes on our site that you might enjoy:
- Bean and lentil curry with green beans - This Beef and Lentil Curry recipe makes a hearty and healthy meal that is loaded with flavors like curry powder, cumin, & garlic.
- Cozy beef vegetable lentil soup - For a hearty fall dinner recipe, try this healthy and delicious Beef Vegetable Lentil soup with green beans and carrots.
- Curried lentils, garbanzo beans stuffed acorn squash - Enjoy a flavor-packed dinner with this Curried Lentils, Garbanzo Beans, and Spinach Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
- Balsamic glazed tomatoes chicken brie sandwich - Balsamic Glazed Tomatoes, Roasted Chicken, Brie Cheese & Spinach make a hearty sandwich bursting with flavor. Great way to use leftover Chicken or Turkey.
- Spicy shrimp curry - This Spicy Shrimp Curry recipe is packed with warm curry flavors and spices. Every bite will keep you coming back for more.
Chicken and Lentil Curry: A Flavorful and Cozy Meal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons Garlic Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Ginger Minced
- 1 Habanero Pepper Optional
- 3 ½ Tablespoons Curry Powder
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon
- 1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breast
- 32 Ounces Chicken Broth
- 1 Juice of Lemon Juice of one lemon
- ½ Zest of Lemon Zest of half a lemon
- 1 Cup Red Lentils
- 2 ½ Cups Broccoli Cut into pieces
- 1 ½ Cups Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Chop Onion, Mince Garlic, and Ginger1 Medium Onion chopped, 1 ½ teaspoons Garlic, 2 Tablespoons Ginger
- Cut chicken breast into bite-size pieces1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breast
- Heat olive oil on a large fry pan. Add Onion, Garlic, and Ginger.1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil
- Sauté onions, garlic, and ginger until onion is soft. Mix in the Habanero pepper. (Habanero is optional)1 Habanero Pepper
- Add the spices (curry, cumin, turmeric, Chicken Bouillon, and sea salt). Cook for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant3 ½ Tablespoons Curry Powder, 2 teaspoons Cumin, 2 teaspoons Turmeric, 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, ½ Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon
- Add chicken breast. Cook chicken over medium heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. Cook until the chicken is opaque and cooked all the way through
- Add the chicken broth.32 Ounces Chicken Broth
- Rinse the lentils in cold water1 Cup Red Lentils
- Add the lentils to the chicken mixture1 Cup Red Lentils
- Add the broccoli pieces2 ½ Cups Broccoli
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook down the broth until it has reduced by about half.
- Remove the pan from the heat, be sure to gently incorporate the lemon juice and zest. To prevent the yogurt from curdling, carefully add ½ to 1 cup of the hot (not boiling) chicken mixture to the yogurt and whisk them together. This method will help maintain the creamy texture of the sauce while preventing curdling.1 Juice of Lemon, ½ Zest of Lemon
- Stir the tempered yogurt mixture into the pan with the remaining chicken and broccoli.1 ½ Cups Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. ENJOY!!!
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