RECIPE: Chicken Lentil Coconut Curry

My family loves Indian food (yes, even my 8-year-old son!), and especially chicken coconut curry. I’ve been working on ways to recreate, perhaps even improve upon, the curry we get from our local restaurants—and last night I think I finally did it! This is one hundred percent Whole Life Challenge advanced Rx compliant, and can be modified a variety of ways depending on your dietary preferences.

For instance, you can use ghee or coconut oil in place of the olive oil to make it even richer. Or, you can swap in garbanzo beans or another meatless option of your choice for the chicken to make it vegan. If you don’t like coconut, you can of course leave the coconut milk out (I would probably replace it with a compliant vegetable broth or more diced tomatoes to ensure enough liquid), but it’s worth noting that there really isn’t an overpowering taste of coconut once all the flavors blend together. You can also serve this over brown rice (intermediate level compliant if you’re doing the Whole Life Challenge). I recommend letting this simmer for at least an hour—but the longer you leave it, the more delicious it gets. It’s the perfect meal for a cold winter’s night. If you love curry like I do, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Chicken Lentil Coconut Curry

(printable recipe)

Serves 8

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3-4 thighs; you can also use chicken breasts but they may not be as tender)

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, divided

3 Tablespoons curry powder, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 large can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (14 oz.) light coconut milk (make sure it has no additives—Trader Joe’s is compliant)

1 cup dry lentils

1-2 lemons and 1 bunch of cilantro, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large (preferably non-stick) pot over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs in the oil and season with half of the salt, pepper and curry powder. Cook chicken on both sides until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Then set aside on a plate.

2. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the same pot and sprinkle with remaining salt, pepper and curry powder. Sauté until just softened, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the tomatoes and coconut milk. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for at least one hour.

4. While the chicken is simmering, prepare lentils according to package directions (typically rinse and then boil for 20-30 minutes in 4 cups of water). When the lentils are cooked, drain them and add them to the chicken pot.

5. Serve garnished with fresh lemon wedges and chopped cilantro.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per 10-ounce serving):

363 calories; 15.8 g fat (5 g saturated); 81 mg cholesterol; 703 mg sodium; 25.1 g carbohydrates; 9.4 g fiber; 5.5 g sugar; 29.8 g protein; Vitamin A 13%; Vitamin C 33%; Calcium 5%; Iron 23%