I’m bringing you a Honey, I’m Healthier recipe with this 1 Pan Red Lentil + Chicken Skillet because we’re headed towards a weekend notorious for being just as much about food as it is about football! Don’t worry, I’ll be bringing you a game day recipe or two throughout this week, because, you know, balance. If you’re already planning your game day spread, don’t forget about the HIH Light French Onion Dip, it’s a WINNER!
This recipe is high in fiber and lean protein, moderate in carbs with healthy fats coming from the extra virgin olive oil. All of that in under 500 calories/serving! Perfect for a family dinner or for as meal prep. It also happens to be absolutely beautiful with the contrast of the red tomatoes, white goat cheese, and bright green scallions.
I’m envisioning this recipe as the beginning of another series on HIH. Since moving to our farm in Southeast Kansas from the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, I’ve had many a moment where I’ve craved my favorite menu items from the dozens of restaurants which were just steps from my home. Once I get a craving, I can’t stop thinking about it until I’ve found a solution. This has lead to many “restaurant recreations” from my favorite eateries. What do you think, should we make “restaurant recreations” an official HIH series?
Recipe Evolution
This recipe is inspired by my favorite bowl from t.Loft, the Grecian Lentil Bowl. T.Loft is a chic café with a light, fresh, health focused menu. T. loft has since closed the location I used to frequent, but the original location in Lawrence, KS is still open for business. I was a regular At the Plaza location for lunch to grab quick, healthy eats and the only green juice you’ll ever find me drinking, the Extreme C plus ginger. Nobody does healthy eats better than t.Loft if you’re asking me. If you ever find yourself in Lawrence, KS looking for a healthy bite to eat, give t.Loft a try. You won’t be disappointed.
The craving was definitely inspired by the Honey, I’m Healthier series. As I shared my favorite healthier recipes, a craving for my favorite quick and healthy restaurant order was triggered. The best part about recreating a recipe at home is that you can make it exactly how you want it! Their version calls for cucumbers, which might fall under my top 5 least favorite foods. I know, I’m weird. I omitted the cucumbers, added a hint of spice by replacing the roasted red peppers with some crushed red pepper flakes, and created a one skillet recipe for four.
Keys to Success
- Follow the process. The order of operations is important here as you build the flavors in your skillet. It’s also important to ensure you’re getting the maximum usage of the marinade/dressing. You don’t want to accidentally add all of the dressing/marinade mixture to the raw chicken and contaminate it. The amount of marinade/dressing made in this recipe is used at three different times throughout this recipe.
- Don’t over cook the tomatoes. The tomatoes will blister quickly in the hot pan. If you leave them in the pan too long they’ll get mushy and won’t hold up to being stirred together with the chicken and lentils. You don’t want that!
- Taste for seasoning. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, taste as you cook. Of course, keep in mind where you are in the cooking process; you don’t want to sample undercooked chicken. A quick taste to see if you need to add some salt will go a long way in serving a delicious dinner!
One Pan Red Lentil + Chicken Skillet
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 12" deep sided skillet or everyday pan
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled or feta
- 12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 3 cups water
- salt to taste
Marinade/Dressing
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine all marinade/dressing ingredients into a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout and whisk together until combined.
- Add 1/3 of the marinade/dressing mixture to a bowl with the chicken and toss to evenly coat. Add 1 tablespoon of the marinade dressing mixture over the halved cherry tomatoes.
- Heat a 12" high sided skillet or everyday pan over medium high heat.
- Cook chicken until cooked through to 165°F. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the cherry tomato halves to the same pan and cook for 30-60 seconds, until the skins are blistered and charred. Remove from the pan and set aside with the chicken.
- Add the water to the skillet to deglaze the pan. Use the wooden spoon to loosen the bits on the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil.
- Add the lentils to the water, bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook Lentils from 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and lentils are tender.
- While the lentils are cooking, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, prep your goat cheese, and chop the scallion.
- Once the water has been absorbed into the lentils, turn off the heat and add the remaining dressing/marinade, chicken and tomatoes and stir to combine evenly with the lentils. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese and scallion.
- Serve right from the pan or divide into 4 meal prep containers. Can be served warm or cold.
Nutrition
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