-
1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with half the salt and the black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the chicken skin-side down without moving for 4-5 minutes until deep golden. Flip, sear 2 minutes more, and transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
6 pieces Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs,
2 tbsp Olive oil,
1 tsp Salt,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
-
2. Reduce heat to medium and cook the onion, carrots and celery in the rendered fat for 6-7 minutes until softened, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric and thyme and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
1 piece Yellow onion, diced,
2 pieces Carrots, diced,
2 pieces Celery stalks, diced,
4 clove Garlic cloves, minced,
1 tbsp Tomato paste,
1 tsp Ground cumin,
0.5 tsp Ground turmeric,
1 tsp Dried thyme
-
3. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping the pot bottom to deglaze. Add the lentils, bay leaves and the remaining salt, then nestle the chicken back in. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer, cover partially, and cook for 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender and the chicken is fork-tender and reaches 74C (165F).
2 piece Bay leaves,
8 cup Gluten-free chicken stock,
1.5 cup Green or brown lentils, rinsed,
1 tsp Salt
-
4. Remove the chicken and bay leaves. Discard the skin and bones, shred the meat with two forks, and return it to the pot.
-
5. Stir in the spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the lemon zest and lemon juice, then taste and adjust salt and pepper. Top with the parsley.
2 pieces Lemons, zest and juice,
5 oz Baby spinach,
0.5 cup Fresh parsley, chopped,
2 tsp Salt,
0.5 tsp Black pepper
-
6. For meal prep, cool the soup completely within 2 hours. Refrigerate 2 portions in airtight containers for up to 4 days, and freeze the remaining portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months, leaving 2.5 cm (1 inch) headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding a splash of water or stock if thick.
