Description
A hearty and flavorful dish featuring succulent chicken breasts cooked with fragrant spices, tomato-flavored lentils, kale, olives, and fresh lemon. This one-pot meal combines Middle Eastern-inspired seasoning with wholesome ingredients for a satisfying and nutritious dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Spices
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skin-on chicken breasts
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
Other Ingredients
- 500ml low-salt chicken stock
- 500g cooked lentils (preferably tomato flavored)
- 125g kale, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, half sliced and half juiced
- 50g green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- Small handful of parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Brown the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a casserole dish or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts and place them skin-side down into the hot pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the skin is well browned and golden. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this point. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: In the same pan, add finely sliced red onion and chopped garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add Spices: Stir in the sumac and ground turmeric. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.
- Deglaze and Add Lentils: Pour in the low-salt chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the cooked lentils, finely chopped kale, lemon slices, and roughly chopped olives. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Cook Chicken Through: Nestle the browned chicken breasts back into the pan, skin-side up. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
- Finish and Serve: Season the dish with freshly squeezed lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Garnish generously with finely chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Using skin-on chicken breasts helps develop a rich flavor and keeps the meat moist during cooking.
- Tomato-flavored lentils add extra depth, but regular cooked lentils can be used as a substitute.
- Adjust cooking time according to the thickness of the chicken breasts to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor which complements the olives and lemon juice beautifully.
- For a spicier dish, consider adding a pinch of chili flakes when cooking the spices.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: chicken breasts, lentils, kale, olives, lemon, sumac, turmeric, one-pot meal, healthy dinner, Middle Eastern flavors
