Country Chicken With Lentils

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 chicken legs
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 leeks, carefully washed, dried and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 sticks celery, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 275 g green lentils
• 150 ml red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Recipe

• 1 cut the chicken legs in half so that you have 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks. season well.
• 2 carefully wash, dry and chop the leeks. discard the tough outer green leaves. peel and finely dice the carrots. trim and finely dice the celery.
• 3 heat the oil in a large (preferably non-stick) pan, add the chicken and fry for 7-8 minutes, turning frequently, until browned. remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, add the leeks and garlic to the pan, cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. add the diced carrot and celery and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until both are a light brown.
• 4 remove the chicken to the pan and stir. add the lentils and the wine, and season to taste. add enough cold water to cover the lentils. (at this point, i usually add more wine: some water and some wine). bring to the boil, stirring.
• 5 add bayleaves. cover and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, or until the chicken and lentils are cooked and tender. stir in the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
• 6 chef's note: lentils can take longer to cook if they have been stored for a long time. if the lentils are still firm at the end of the cooking in step 5, simmer for another 5-10 minutes.