coconut chicken lentil soup

a totally comforting + hearty bowl

I’ve fallen into a bit of an uninspiring soup rut this winter. the classic chicken noodle has been working tirelessly anytime I’m in the mood for soup and while I love her deeply, it was time to ~move on~ I am a multi faceted gal after all!

so the other day I found myself drifting into the legume aisle of my regular exploratory stroll through whole foods and red lentils were eyeing me. I’ve made it abundantly clear where I stand with legumes in the past (via my no fricken bean chili) but as you know, I’ve had a change of heart in recent times. plus, I’ve heard some shit about lentils being really good for you and it’s january after all. i’m reinventing myself of course!

and so I added those lentils to cart and went home with nothing but my legumes & a dream for a funner chicken soup. a star was born that night. I ate this soup for the next 4 days, which is almost unheard of for me. I’m usually off leftovers by day 2 but she prevailed! and yeah maybe I don’t want to eat it again for a little while but that’s my own fault!!!!!

if you know and love dahl, you will love this soup - it’s the same concept of stewy lentils with curry powder, coconut milk, red lentils and ginger. I add some extra vegetables in the form of bok choy + carrots.

you’re also totally welcome to make this vegetarian!

• just omit the chicken and add an additional 1/4 cup lentils

• you can also add a diced red bell pepper or squash to up the vegetable volume

• swap out chicken broth for vegetable broth & swap out fish sauce for miso or veg bouillon paste

enjoy the dump of snow outside with a bowl of this in your lap ;)

coconut chicken lentil soup

serves 4–6

• 1.3 lb skin-on, boneless chicken (see notes)

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 4 small carrots, finely diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1.5 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

• 5 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 2 tsp curry powder

• 1/2 tsp white pepper

• 1/2-1 tsp chili powder (depending on spice preference)

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed well

• 1 (13.5-oz) can full fat coconut milk

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 2.5-3 cups water (depending on your desired thickness, I used 3 for a looser soup!)

• 2 large heads bok choy (or 4 small), white stems removed, quartered

• juice of 2 juicy limes

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste

• kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper

• large handful fresh cilantro, chopped

• jasmine rice, to serve

• lime wedges, to serve

• dollop of yogurt or sour cream, to serve

  • optional: mix together a big scoop of yogurt/sour cream, 1 clove garlic grated, squeeze of lemon + touch of water

1. pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. to a cold dutch oven/large pot, add the thighs skin side down. turn heat to medium high and cook undisturbed for about 7-10 minutes until golden brown. the thighs will release from the pan when they are ready, do not tear them prematurely! feel free to give them a gentle wiggle to check if they’re ready.

   1. if you’re not using chicken, just heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in the pot and move on to sautéing the vegetables

3. once the thighs are deeply golden and most of the fat has rendered, flip and cook 2 minutes more. remove the chicken on to a plate and set aside. discard some excess chicken fat if you like.

4. if making the crispy chicken skin topping: once chicken is cool enough to touch, gently remove the skin from the thighs and set aside onto a parchment lined baking sheet or wire rack set over a baking sheet. bake in an oven at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes or until the skins are very golden brown and crisp. turn them halfway through. cooking time will vary on your oven and thickness off skin/ how crisp you initially got it in the pan so keep and eye on them! once they’re evenly golden and crispy, remove them from the oven and let cool on a wire rack so they stay crisp.

5. lower the heat to medium and add the onion and carrots to the pot. sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

6. season with salt + pepper. add in the curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until darkened in color.

7. add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they burst, release their juices, and reduce into a glossy, jammy base, 5 minutes. add the ginger and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. nestle the chicken back in.

8. pour the soy sauce + water + coconut milk + broth in, turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. turn down the heat to medium low, cover partially with a lid and lightly simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and easily shreddable. with tongs, transfer the chicken from the soup to a plate and shred using 2 forks.

9. add the lentils to the pot, followed by the shredded chicken. simmer, mixing occasionally for about 10 minutes until the lentils are soft but not mushy.

10. add bok choy and simmer 3-5 minutes until. bright green and stems have softened.

11. finish the soup with lime juice, fish sauce and plenty of chopped cilantro. taste and adjust salt, fish sauce, soy sauce as needed. thin with a bit of water if you like it looser!

12. serve with rice, a drizzle of olive oil, a lime wedge, a dollop of sour cream/yogurt + black pepper + the crispy chicken skin crumbled on top!

I hope you try it out! tag me if you do :*

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xoxo Katie