Pulses recipe: Apricot chicken with lentils

A recipe from the Pulses (Bean) Study from the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM).

APRICOT CHICKEN WITH LENTILS

Ingredients (for 12 servings):

2 Tbsp canola oil

8 chicken thighs (skinless and boneless)

2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed (6 cups cooked lentils)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

⅓ cup fresh parsley

12 whole dried apricots, quartered

⅔ cup golden raisins

1½ tsp fresh ginger, minced

¼ tsp each ground all spice, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne pepper

⅛ tsp nutmeg

2 cups boiling chicken broth

black pepper and salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (160 C).

2. In large frying pan, fry chicken in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes each batch.

3. In oven safe casserole dish, add lentils, green onions, green pepper, chopped onion, 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, apricots and raisins, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

4. Place chicken over lentils. Pour chicken juices in to casserole dish. Add chicken broth.

5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an extra 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.

6. Adjust seasonings to taste.

7. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve over rice if desired.

More details on preparing pulses, and recipes on a range of other dishes including sweet potato chickpea wrap, lentil muffins, black bean quesadilla and pinto bean hamburger soup can be found here.