Chicken, red lentil and quinoa pilaf

Serves 6

This can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding more lentils/quinoa, just make sure you have twice as much liquid to lentils/quinoa, ie 1 cup to 2 cups of broth.

Ingredients

500g  chicken thighs, 1.5cm dice

½ cup of quinoa

½ cup of red lentils (uncooked)

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

500ml chicken broth or other broth to suit

2 carrots, small dice, about 1cm

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp smoked paprika- with the herbs and spices you can use whatever you have on hand, rosemary, oregano, cumin etc…

Method

In a large pan put a knob of butter and fry off your onion, garlic and chicken, until the chicken is just browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add your spices and toss through. Ten add your broth and lentils/quinoa, season with salt and pepper, heat your broth in the pan then transfer to an oven proof baking dish. Cover tightly with foil or a lid (I use another tray). Bake at 200c for 35-40 minutes, check it half way. Cook until the lentils/quinoa is tender. When done take out, uncover and dot more butter over and mix through. I served this with green Russian kale and broccoli.