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Hearty Chicken Red Lentil Soup with Spinach

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This hearty chicken red lentil soup with spinach is a satisfying one-bowl meal, featuring vibrant flavors from ginger, warm spices, and a touch of miso. Serve with lemony yogurt.

Ingredients

Scale

Base ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 parsnip, chopped (optional, see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon Biber or Aleppo pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 4 to 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Finishing touches

  • 2 handfuls spinach (see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon miso paste
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Build the base: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cook for abot 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. The add the carrots and parsnip, and cook a few more minutes. Add the dried spices – cumin, Aleppo pepper and turmeric – cook for a few minutes until the spices become fragrant.
  2. Add chicken and lentils to the pot, stirring to coat well with the spices. Then add the garlic and ginger, cook another minute or two.
  3. Stir in the liquid: Add the chicken stock and water to the pot, stirring to combine well.
  4. Simmer the soup: Lower the heat to medium low, and simmer with the pot partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  5. Prep the yogurt: As the chicken lentil soup simmers, prepare the lemon yogurt. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tbsp lemon juice and parsley. Stir in a pinch of salt. Set aside, to serve the yogurt at the table.
  6. Prep the miso: Toward the end of the simmer time, scoop out about a 1/2 cup of the soup broth and pour into a small bowl. Add the miso to the liquid, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  7. Finish the stew: When the chicken is cooked through, use tongs or a strainer spoon to remove the chicken thigh pieces to a platter. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, along with the spinach and miso mixture. Stir to combine well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. If you have some high quality extra virgin olive oil, you can add a tablespoon at the end of cooking to deepen the flavors.
  8. Serve and enjoy: Scoop the soup into bowls, and pass the lemon yogurt at the table and people can take the desired amount to top their soup. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Parsnips and carrots: I had several local parsnips on hand, so used 1 parsnip and 1 carrot. You could use 2 carrots and skip the parsnip, if that’s what you have available.
  • Spinach: We have used large spinach leaves, finely chopped, and another time, baby spinach. Both work well.
  • Pepper notes: I used Maras biber, a Turkish pepper that adds mild, fruity warmth. Aleppo pepper is a good substitute; if you don’t have either, use a small pinch of red pepper flakes or mild paprika to taste.
  • Option for non soup fans: should you happen to have a child or other family member that doesn’t like the consistency of soup, you can put one of the chicken thighs aside for them to eat separately if they don’t want the soup.

Find it online: https://cookingchatfood.com/chicken-red-lentil-soup/

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