Baked Chicken and Lentil Recipe

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This baked chicken and lentil recipe is such a comforting favourite, with meltingly tender chicken and creamy lentils that dissolve in your mouth. It's especially great for when the weather starts to turn cooler and all you want is a warm blanket around you.

This protein rich dish, combining meaty chicken thighs and nutritious lentils, is guaranteed to satisfy. I use red lentils for this baked chicken and lentil recipe, as they're really easy to cook and don't require any pre-soaking. The result is pure deliciousness.

This dish starts off on the stove by browning the chicken and frying the aromatics but is finished in the oven uncovered, allowing the meat to tenderise and the skin to crisp up. You'll need an oven proof dish with a thick base to ensure uniform cooking temperatures throughout. If you can manage it, bring your chicken to room temperature before browning, but don't worry if not, just leave it for an extra minute or two on each side.

This baked chicken and lentil recipe is a hearty meal in one, a one pan dish that I love so much for its ease, simplicity and minimising of washing up! Serve it with steamed greens on the side for a complete meal.

Here's what you'll need to make this  baked chicken and lentil recipe:
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1kg chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil for cooking
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
500ml chicken stock
200 red lentils, rinsed

And here's what you'll need to do:

• Pat the chicken thighs dry with some kitchen paper, season both sides with salt and pepper, and set aside on a plate. For best results, bring the chicken to room temperature first.
• Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) / 160C Fan.
• Prepare the onion, garlic, rosemary and chicken stock.

• Rinse the lentils thoroughly until the water runs clear - red lentils are surprisingly dusty!
  
• Heat some oil, over medium high heat, in an oven proof dish large enough to fit the chicken thighs snugly in a single layer.
• When the oil is hot, brown the chicken in batches (adding more oil as needed), skin side down first, for a few minutes until golden, then turn over and brown the other side. Remove to a plate until needed.

• Reduce heat to medium low, add more oil if needed, and cook the onions for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic and rosemary, and cook for a minute until fragrant.
• Add the lentils and chicken stock.

• Return the chicken thighs to the pan, arranging in a single layer so that most of the skin is above the liquid (they will brown and crisp nicely in the oven).
• Bake for about an hour, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• Remove from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Baked Chicken and Lentil Recipe

By Wendy | Serves 4

This baked chicken and lentil recipe is just the sort of soothing dish you need at the end of a tiring day.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Course: Main
Cuisine: Modern European
Tags: Chicken Bake, Meal in One

Ingredients

1kg chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil for cooking
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
500ml chicken stock
200 red lentils, rinsed

Method

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with some kitchen paper, season both sides with salt and pepper, and set aside on a plate. For best results, bring the chicken to room temperature first.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) / 160C Fan.
3. Prepare the onion, garlic, rosemary and chicken stock.
4. Rinse the lentils thoroughly until the water runs clear - red lentils are surprisingly dusty!
5. Heat some oil, over medium high heat, in an oven proof dish large enough to fit the chicken thighs snugly in a single layer.
6. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken in batches (adding more oil as needed), skin side down first, for a few minutes until golden, then turn over and brown the other side. Remove to a plate until needed.
7. Reduce heat to medium low, add more oil if needed, and cook the onions for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
8. Add the garlic and rosemary, and cook for a minute until fragrant.
9. Add the lentils and chicken stock.
10. Return the chicken thighs to the pan, arranging in a single layer so that most of the skin is above the liquid (they will brown and crisp nicely in the oven).
11. Bake for about an hour, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through and tender.
12. Remove from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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