Chicken with lentils and rosemary
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's shares his recipe for chicken with lentils and rosemary
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s chicken with lentils and rosemary recipe is a great one-pot supper for a cold night
Serves 4
Oven temp 180°c/gas 4
- Rapeseed or olive oil 2 tbsp
- Onion 1 large, sliced
- Garlic 4 cloves, chopped
- Rosemary leaves from 2 sprigs
- Red lentils 200g, well rinsed
- Chicken or veg stock 500ml
- Free range chicken thighs 8 skin-on, bone-in (or 1 medium chicken, jointed into 6–8 pieces)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flat-leaf parsley handful, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 180°c/gas 4. Choose a flameproof casserole dish or a wide ovenproof pan that will hold the chicken pieces snugly but comfortably.
- Put the casserole on a medium-low heat on the hob. Add the oil, then the onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 6–8 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Cook gently for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the lentils and stock.
- Season the chicken thighs and place skin side up in the casserole. Try to keep most of the chicken skin exposed above the liquid in the dish so it can brown in the oven. Bring to a simmer on the hob, then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Check that the chicken is cooked right through and the lentils are soft. If not, return to the oven for 10–15 minutes and test again. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.
- Taste the lentil liquor and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve scattered with chopped parsley, just as it is, or with steamed broccoli or spring greens on the side.
You will need
- Rapeseed or olive oil 2 tbsp
- Onion 1 large, sliced
- Garlic 4 cloves, chopped
- Rosemary leaves from 2 sprigs
- Red lentils 200g, well rinsed
- Chicken or veg stock 500ml
- Free range chicken thighs 8 skin-on, bone-in (or 1 medium chicken, jointed into 6–8 pieces)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flat-leaf parsley handful, chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°c/gas 4. Choose a flameproof casserole dish or a wide ovenproof pan that will hold the chicken pieces snugly but comfortably.
- Put the casserole on a medium-low heat on the hob. Add the oil, then the onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 6–8 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Cook gently for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the lentils and stock.
- Season the chicken thighs and place skin side up in the casserole. Try to keep most of the chicken skin exposed above the liquid in the dish so it can brown in the oven. Bring to a simmer on the hob, then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Check that the chicken is cooked right through and the lentils are soft. If not, return to the oven for 10–15 minutes and test again. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.
- Taste the lentil liquor and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve scattered with chopped parsley, just as it is, or with steamed broccoli or spring greens on the side.
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