Roast Sumach Chicken with Braised Lentils & Green Sauce
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Prep: 20 mins
Cook 40 mins
A delicious dish of earthy veg-braised lentils topped with succulent organic sumach-rubbed chicken thighs and drumsticks. Finished with a flourish of tart herby green sauce.
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912 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tsp sumach
  • 2 chicken thighs & 2 drumsticks
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 onion
  • 1 celery stick
  • 400g tin of green lentils
  • A large handful of flat leaf parsley
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 100g baby leaf spinach
  • 1 chicken stock cube
From your kitchen
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 150ml boiling water
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Peel and grate one garlic clove into a bowl. Zest in the lemon and squeeze in half the juice. Add 2 tsp sumach and ½ tbsp olive oil. Add plenty of salt and pepper.

  • 2.

    Make 3 or 4 deep slashes in each chicken thigh and drumstick. Rub in the sumach marinade, working some into the cuts. Place the thighs and drumsticks into a baking dish. Roast for 25 mins.

  • 3.

    While the chicken is cooking, peel and finely chop the carrot and onion. Finely chop the celery stick. Peel and grate the remaining garlic clove. Drain and rinse the lentils.

  • 4.

    Heat a deep frying pan. When warm, drizzle in ½ tbsp olive oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery. Cook on a low heat for 15 mins till the veg have softened. Take off the heat and set aside.

  • 5.

    While the veg is gently cooking, finely chop the parsley leaves and stalks. Place into a bowl. Peel and finely chop the shallot and add that with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp caster sugar and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar. Pour in 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp cold water. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. This is your green sauce. Set aside.

  • 6.

    When the chicken has cooked for 25 mins, add the cherry tomatoes to the tin. Return to the oven and roast for a further 15 mins. The chicken should be cooked through, with crisp skins.

  • 7.

    When the chicken has 5 mins left to cook, add the grated garlic to the softened veg. Stir. Crumble in ½ the chicken stock cube and pour in 150ml boiling water. Put back on the heat and bring to a bubble. Add the lentils and gently stir. Cook for 3 mins to warm the lentils through. Add the baby leaf spinach to the lentils and stir to just wilt it.

  • 8.

    Spoon the braised lentils on to two warm plates or bowl. Top with a chicken thigh and drumstick each. Add the roasted tomatoes. Serve with the tart green sauce and a pinch of sumach sprinkled over the top.

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