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Chicken thighs with curried leeks and lentils

Name: Chicken thighs with curried leeks and lentils
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: Dash vegetable oil; 4 large chicken thighs; 2 banana shallots, finely sliced; 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 2 leeks, sliced; 1 tbsp mild curry powder; 40g sultanas; 150ml white wine; 2 x 400g tins green lentils; 150ml double cream; Handful fresh coriander leaves to garnish

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 16 Nov 23
Updated: 26 Jul 24

Chicken thighs with curried leeks and lentils

This comforting bowl of creamy curried lentils, soft sweet leeks and juicy chicken thighs is just what you need on a cold day.

Have you tried Marmite chicken with cacio e pepe butter beans?

Easy
December 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 35 min

This comforting bowl of creamy curried lentils, soft sweet leeks and juicy chicken thighs is just what you need on a cold day.

Have you tried Marmite chicken with cacio e pepe butter beans?

Gluten-free recipes

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories: 698kcals
Fat: 39g (17g saturated)
Protein: 42g
Carbohydrates: 32g (11g sugars)
Fibre: 10g
Salt: 0.3g

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Ingredients

Dash vegetable oil
4 large chicken thighs
2 banana shallots, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 leeks, sliced
1 tbsp mild curry powder
40g sultanas
150ml white wine
2 x 400g tins green lentils
150ml double cream
Handful fresh coriander leaves to garnish

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Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until crisp and golden (about 5-8 minutes). Transfer to a plate, then add the shallots, garlic, leeks and curry powder to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, then add the sultanas and wine and leave to simmer until reduced by half.
Drain the lentils, collecting the liquid from one of the tins. Add the liquid to the pan of leeks with the cream, then return the chicken, skin-side up, and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through – the juices should run clear when a knife is pushed into the thickest part of the thigh by the bone.
Remove the lid, push the chicken to one side and stir in the lentils. Simmer for 5 more minutes to reduce the sauce a little and heat the lentils. Taste and season if needed, then serve scattered with coriander.

Recipe from December 2023 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 698kcals
Fat: 39g (17g saturated)
Protein: 42g
Carbohydrates: 32g (11g sugars)
Fibre: 10g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

We’ve used tinned lentils here for speed and ease, but cooked dried lentils work just as well. Simmer 270g green lentils in a pan of water with half a carrot and 2 bay leaves for 25-30 minutes until tender. Save the stock – you need 130ml to cook the leeks in.