Do you like curries? I have had a soft spot for curries since my trip to London, waaaay back. There is just something about the turmeric et co. that brings the warmth on a cool / cold November in Ottawa. And matched with my crockpot it is a win-win when trying to finish off that last client call, fill the youngun with some hot goodness and get him out the door to games night at the Owl Cafe! All in about a half hour!
Here’s a simple but yummy Curried Chicken Soup that you can make at noon in the crockpot and have piping hot and ready by dinner time.
Ingredients:
- 2 – medium Chicken Breasts (I prefer boneless and skinless) cut up into 1cm cubes
- 1 – medium Onion diced roughly
- 1 – 540ml tin of Lentils
- 1 – 796ml tin of Diced Tomatoes
- 4 – medium to large Potatoes cut up into 1cm cubes.
- 1/2 – litre of stock (I prefer Campbell’s Mushroom Stock as it is Gluten Free and doesn’t overpower dishes)
- 1 – tbsp Curry Powder (to taste – ok so I cheat…)
- 1 – tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 – tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 – tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 – tsp Cinnamon (optional)
Preparation:
- In a small dish add all the Spices and mix well
- Fire up the crockpot and add the Lentils and Diced Tomatoes to get the ball rolling.
- Add the Potatoes and stir into the mix.
- In a saucepan on medium-high heat saute the Chicken until white through and some crispy bits.
- Add the Onion and saute together with the Chicken until carmelized.
- Just at the end add half the spices to the pan and toss until the Chicken and Onions are coated.
- Add the Chicken and Onions to the crockpot.
- Deglaze the pan with a bit of the Stock and add to the crockpot.
- Pour the rest of the stock into the crockpot (be sure not to overfill in your zeal!).
- Toss the rest of the spices into the crockpot and give a good stir.
- Make sure the crockpot is set for a couple hours on High, then turn down to Medium until dinner time.
- Head back to work and prepare to enjoy the aroma of curry throughout the house.
- Serve with naan bread, chipati or crushed tortilla chips for a full meal.
(Since there is lots of protein in the Lentils you might consider adding a second tin of Lentils or other Beans instead of the Chicken to make this GF / Vegetarian / Vegan – ml)