Chicken, Lentils, Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms, Cabbage, and Tomatoes

A hearty filling lunch, packed with protein and vegetables

Every Sunday I prep lunches for the week, and there is a maybe 1 in 4 chance that I’m making a type of lentil stew. If I’m exaggerating its only by a little bit.

Lentil stew is super easy to make, and very customizable. This recipe is my standard stew, and I encourage you to branch out with other vegetables, proteins and spices.

If you find a variation you like, share it below with a comment!

Super Healthy Benefits of Chicken and Lentil Stew

Lentil stews are a great way to provide a hearty filling meal, packed with all sorts of good things. This recipe boasts, per serving:

28.2 grams of protein
6 grams of fiber
Only 240 Calories

That makes this meal a better protein to calorie ratio than an ensure protein drink! It also has more fiber than most fiber powders.

Green vs Red Lentils

This recipe calls for green lentils, because I’ve found they’re less likely to break down than red lentils. In truth, you can probably use either for this mean, and I often substitute them for each other across meals. Supposedly, green lentils have a stronger flavor than reds, but I haven’t personally found it to be true.

The mushyness of cooked red lentils can be exploited for soups and other meals.

Delicious Side Dishes

This meal works well as a low cal lunch. If you want though, this Chicken Lentil Stew pairs well with any number of sides:

Moist Honey Cornbread: I have a variant you can use for little cornbread muffins, which I’ve loved with chicken lentil stew.
Mushroom pilaf: If you want to serve this lentil stew for dinner, a hearty side of rice will round it out.
Chickpea salad: If you need even more protein with your meal, this chickpea salad is for you.
Potato Salad: A hearty warm chicken lentil stew can be paired well with a cool creamy potato salad.

Alternate Ingredient choices

You can add or subtract ingredients at will, some recommendations:

Chickpeas will add protein and more bite to the stew
Zucchini or summer squash, when in season is a cheap and easy way to add color
Shredded turkey tenderloin will offer better calorie performance than chicken and taste great
Adding beans and more chili powder makes this dish more like a chili
Red lentils and more broth would make this dish more like a soup.

Let’s make Chicken and Lentil Stew

Mushrooms: If using dried mushrooms, start with these first. If using fresh mushrooms, slice and add them to the skillet with the onions and peppers below for browning.
To rehydrate dried mushrooms, place some dried mushrooms in a Tupperware and cover in boiling water. Seal the Tupperware and wait 30-45 minutes as they rehydrate. I used about 1 cup of dried mushrooms in and filled a quart sized Tupperware with water. After rehydrating them, discard the water and rinse the mushrooms.

Shredded Chicken: Place the frozen chicken breasts whole into a pressure cooker and add 2 cups of water and 2 tsp of chicken bullion. Cook on high for 13 minutes and allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before opening. Shred the chicken with two forks onto a plate or into a bowl.

Make the rest:
Now we’ll brown the onions and peppers and prepare the base of the stew. Dice the onions and chop the peppers, then brown in a skillet with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and some Italian seasoning. If using fresh mushrooms, add them here.

Once the onions and peppers have browned, add the tomato paste, garlic, more salt, pepper, and 1 tsp of paprika. Cook for 2-3 more minutes or until it’s almost at the point of burning.

Add the tomatoes and two cups of chicken broth (mix 1 tsp chicken bullion with 1 cup water). If using rehydrated mushrooms, add them now.

Bring the pan to a boil, then add the lentils. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are nearly done.

Thinly slice two cups of cabbage while the pan simmers.
After finishing the simmering the pan, add 2 more cups of broth, the shredded chicken, oregano, and cabbage. Simmer a few minutes more until the lentils are soft.

Serve and enjoy 🙂

Recipe for Chicken and Lentil Stew