Chicken & Lentil Soup

Cold days are THE worst, especially when wet. A toasty bowl of healthy and delicious Chicken & Lentil Soup is the perfect cure! Lentils are a great source of fiber and are also good for the old ticker (i.e. your heart). Give lentils a chance! 

Ingredients:

4-5 fresh chicken tenders or 2 breasts
2-3 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium celery stalks, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups green lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon sage leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, torn

Wash your lentils!

Cooking Instructions:

I like to begin my cooking by get the annoying bits out of the way first. Start by rinsing off your lentils with cool water in a colander and set aside for later. In a medium sauce pot, bring 2-3 cups of vegetable broth to a boil and add chicken. Turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until it will shred with a fork. Set aside in broth.

Dice up your celery, carrots and onion. Heat olive oil in large stockpot to medium-high. Add veggies, season with kosher salt and pepper. Cook until soft, then add garlic at the very end of the cooking process so it doesn't burn. Pour the remaining vegetable broth on top of the cooked vegetables to deglaze the pan and continue the soup making process.

Shredded Chicken

Turn the burner down to medium-low. Add the tomatoes, lentils, bay leaf, sage and oregano to the pot and let cook for 15-20 minutes. Once the lentils are soft, add the shredded chicken and spinach. Make sure you stir in the spinach. Let cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.

You did it - find a spoon and enjoy! Make sure you check out my Homemade Vegetable Broth recipe here.


Serves 6-8 people.