Serves 16
105 min
East African Chicken and Lentil Stew
Recipe GLPRdf5f97703a00d9
A deeply flavored, warming stew combining tender chicken pieces with earthy lentils, roasted bell peppers, and sweet potato, infused with aromatic East African spices including paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and coriander. This hearty one-pot dish brings together traditional African flavors with fresh herbs and is finished with crispy naan breadcrumbs, fresh mint, and a squeeze of bright lemon.
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried lentils
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted and chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
5 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 1/2 cups water
1 naan bread
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped (optional)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Directions
In a small bowl, combine paprika, sea salt, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cardamom. Stir until evenly mixed. Set the spice blend aside.
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with 1 tablespoon of the prepared spice blend, rubbing it into the skin and meat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Working in batches to avoid crowding, add chicken pieces skin-side down and brown for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip and brown the other side for another 5 minutes. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.
Add the chopped onions to the oil and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until they are softened and lightly browned.
Return the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the skillet with the onions.
Add the dried lentils, roasted red bell pepper, canned tomatoes with their juice, basil, remaining 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of the spice blend. Stir well to combine.
Add the cubed sweet potato and water to the skillet. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover the skillet and reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer.
Simmer covered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils begin to soften and the chicken is becoming tender.
Uncover the skillet and continue simmering for 10 more minutes, allowing some liquid to reduce. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F and the sweet potato should be fork-tender.
While the stew simmers during the last 25 minutes of cooking, preheat your oven to 325°F.
Place the naan bread on a baking pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it is very crisp and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
Once cooled, crumble the crisp naan bread into small bite-sized pieces.
To serve, ladle the stew with chicken, lentils, and vegetables into bowls, ensuring each portion has generous sauce.
Top each serving with a portion of the crumbled naan, a sprinkle of fresh chopped mint, and chopped hard-boiled egg if desired.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top of each bowl just before serving.
Serve with additional naan bread on the side if desired.
