Warm Ups - Hot Chicken & Lentils
Back on the batch cooking for this week, this one pot or slow cooker dish is a great way to get your protein up, whilst stretching out your chicken to feed more mouths or portions. Avoid all the sugar and additives in jar sauces and get used to making your own marinades. Once you have a selection of spices, its a great money saver and you can adjust all for your own taste preferences.
Usually I would also add Caribbean curry powder, but I ran out this week, so have skipped this, however the heat and other spices failed to disappoint. Try to take time to marinade the chicken overnight and remember if you are freezing portions, the chilli will intensify over time. Add more or less chillies to suit your own tastebuds when cooking, or add more hot sauce to your dish when serving xx
Marinade
1 teaspoon each of:
Turmeric, cumin, ground ginger, fennel seeds, cayenne pepper, chilli seeds
4 tbsp of Jif Lime juice or the juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil
pinch of salt and pepper
Mix together and cover 2 chicken breasts (diced) in an air tight container and leave overnight in the fridge or for at least 2 hours
Additional Ingredients
500g Passata
100g Onions (diced)
100g Red Lentils
100g Yellow Split Peas
20g Fresh Coriander
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 x deseeded fresh red chilli (or more if you prefer)
600ml Boiled Water
1 cube of chicken stock
1. Turn on your slow cooker to the high setting.
2. Whilst warming up, get a pan on the hob to brown off your chicken mix. When cooked through, add the chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker.
3. Using the same hob pan, fry off the onions, minced garlic and chilli in a pan, then add to the slow cooker.
4. Dissolve the chicken stock in the water and mix in the passata, then pour the mixture over the chick, before adding the lentils and split peas.
5. Stir up leave to cook on High for 4 hours
6. Chop up the coriander and stir into the chicken mix, then serve or portion out.
I split my mix into 6 portions at 206 calories per serving
Protein 23g / Carbs 15g / Fat 5g