Whole-poached chicken brings layers of flavor to this fragrant, spiced lentil stew. Topped with fried onions and tomatoes, it’s a filling and deeply flavorful meal.
Poaching a chicken delivers not only meat, but a flavorful broth for cooking the lentils in.
Toasting the spices in oil deepens and releases their flavor more effectively.
The optional step of finely mincing the poached chicken skin and cooking it into the lentils makes a more delicious, satisfying final stew.
Very loosely inspired by a Middle Eastern dish called haleem that comes in many forms but sometimes features meat stewed with spiced lentils and topped with fried onions, this recipe features stewed lentils with a fragrant mix of spices, including coriander seed, cumin, and turmeric. Garlic and ginger provide an aromatic base of flavor.
We start by poaching a whole chicken: the skin is (optionally) minced very finely and added to the lentils as they stew, melding into the mix while adding richness to the dish; the poaching broth is used to cook the lentils themselves, and the meat is shredded and folded into the lentils before serving.
