Moroccan chicken and lentils
Ingredients
- 240²µ/8¾´Ç³ú brown lentils
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp ras-el-hanout
- pinch dried red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 large tomatoes, skins removed, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 200ml/7fl oz vegetable stock
- bunch coriander, finely chopped
- 4 chicken supremes, each about 225g/8oz
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish
- ½ red chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish
Method
Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the lentils and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Drain the lentils.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until softened. Add 1 tablespoon of the ras-el-hanout and the cumin seeds, stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and lentils. Season with salt and pepper and add just enough of the vegetable stock to cover. Simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes. Stir in the coriander.
Meanwhile, rub the chicken supremes with the remaining ras-el-hanout and some salt. Add the remaining oil to a frying pan and pan-fry the chicken supremes, skin-side down, for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until crisp and cooked through. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with a skewer.
Garnish the lentils with the almonds and chilli and serve alongside the chicken supremes on warmed plates.
