»Back to Chicken

Saffron Chicken with Lentils & Green Beans

Leftover roast chicken makes this very easy and it has wonderful, comfort food flavor!

What you need

  1. »«Chicken»«
  2. 2-3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces
  3. 1 cup roast chicken pan drippings or 1 cup strong chicken broth
  4. 3/4 cup water
  5. 1/2 sweet onion, finely minced
  6. 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
  7. 2 tbl besan or whole wheat pastry flour
  8. 1 tsp sweet paprika
  9. 1 pinch saffron threads
  10. 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh basil leaves
  11. 1/4 - 1/3 cup plain yogurt
  12. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  13. olive oil
  14. »«Lentils»«
  15. 1 cup french green lentils
  16. 1 3/4 cups water
  17. 1/2 sweet onion, finely minced
  18. 1 cup shredded cabbage
  19. 1-2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
  20. 1 tsp kosher salt
  21. black pepper to taste
  22. olive oil

How to make it

For Lentils

  1. Heat about 2 tbl olive oil in a 1 1/2 - 2 quart sauce pan
  2. When hot, add minced onion and 1/2 tsp kosher salt and cook over medium - medium high heat until golden brown
  3. Add cabbage, green beans and another 1/2 tsp salt and cook until cabbage is beginning to brown
  4. Add lentils and stir to coat with olive oil
  5. Add water, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low
  6. Cook 40-50 minutes until liquid has been absorbed

For Chicken & Sauce

    >
  1. Heat about 2 tbl olive oil in a 12 inch skillet
  2. Add minced onion with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent
  3. Add garlic, paprika, saffron and flour and stir and cook briefly - about 3-5 minutes
  4. Add water and stir to blend, making sure no lumps remain
  5. Add pan drippings or broth and stir to blend well
  6. Add basil and chicken and simmer over low heat until hot - about 20-30 minutes
  7. When lentils are cooked and chicken is hot, remove chicken from heat and stir in yogurt - blend well

Serve lentils and chicken in separate warm bowls family style.

Questions about this recipe?

Not the recipe you want? Enter an ingredient in the box below: