Lentil Soup with Lemon, Chicken, and Mint

By á-73576

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Broiler/Frying Chicken, about 3-5 pounds, for soup stock
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 5 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped fine
• 1 Pound Lentils, rinsed and sifted through removing any potential pebbles or debris
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more according to taste
• Juice from One fresh Lemon
• 6-8 Sprigs Fresh Mint, leaves removed from stems then chopped, extra leaves used for garnish

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from spicedpeachblog.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place whole broiler/frying chicken into a large stock pot filling with cold water about 3 inches above the chicken. Simmer chicken for about an hour or longer until fully cooked and tender. Remove chicken from stock pot and transfer to a large bowl or platter. When cool take skin off of breast and remove one chicken breast cutting from the center bone loosening from underneath. Cut breast into half inch bite size pieces and refrigerate until lentils are cooked. Use remaining chicken for another use. Strain chicken stock into a pot then measure 4 cups of the stock into a measuring cup for cooking lentils.
On low heat add olive oil to a soup pot, cook the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and thyme until just softened, around five minutes, topple in the lentils, stirring well with the onion mixture cooking together for three minutes. Pour 4 cups of the chicken stock into the lentil mixture, increase temperature and bring to a boil before reducing the temperature and cooking on very low heat for about an hour stirring often. If the lentils begin to thicken add in more of the chicken stock one cup at a time. When lentils are soft and cooked, stir through the bite sized chicken pieces and salt, cooking another ten minutes. Pour in the fresh squeezed lemon juice and stir through. Check seasoning adjusting salt to taste. Fresh lemon juice may be added to individual bowls of soup rather than pouring directly into the soup, if preferred. Sprinkle fresh chopped mint into each bowl of soup immediately before serving. Garnish with sliced lemon and a mint leaf.