Description
Welcome to the Cook Once Club.
One base recipe, cooked once, then served in a way that works for everyone at the table.
This week it’s a chicken, red lentil and sweet potato curry. The sweet potato cooks down with the onions and spices, adding natural sweetness and body to the sauce, while the red lentils melt in to bring fibre and plant protein. The chicken thighs stay tender and juicy as everything simmers together.
Then when it comes to serving, you can adapt it for everyone.
For the low-carb parent, serve it over greens.
For the one who loves spice, add chilli oil or fresh chilli at the end.
For the kid who likes everything separate, keep the components deconstructed.
And for the one who refuses to see a vegetable… they’re already blended into the sauce.
One pot. One cook. Dinner that works for the whole family.
Each serving has roughly: 35g protein and around 9g fibre, so it’s properly satisfying and great for gut health too.
Chicken, Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry
Serves 4–6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
125g red lentils, rinsed
1 onion, finely minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely grated or very finely diced
500ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp sea salt
600g chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
½ cauliflower, grated
¼ tsp garam masala
1 lemon, juiced
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook for about 5–7 minutes until softened and fragrant, adding a splash of water if needed to stop the spices catching.
Stir in the red lentils, garam masala, salt and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils begin to soften and break down.
Season the chicken lightly with salt and add to the pot along with the chopped tomatoes and grated cauliflower. Stir well. Simmer uncovered for another 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the curry has thickened.
Finish with the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve warm with rice, flatbread or greens depending on how everyone at the table likes it.
Save this for a midweek dinner and let me know if you want more Cook Once Club recipes.