Mini Chicken Roll-Ups with Lentils

canarygirl's Note:

Another find in the Spanish cooking magazine, "Cocina Facil." This dish is flavorful and hearty, rich in proteins and fiber, but at the same time low in fat.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• ½ lb lentils (pre-soaked)
• 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ lb bacon , slices cut into thirds
• 1 carrot , chopped
• 1 stalk celery , chopped
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ teaspoon fennel seed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Drain lentils and place in a soup pot with carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves and olive oil.
2. Add enough water to-just- cover lentils and veggies, cover and cook 40 minutes (or until tender) over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add salt towards the end of cooking (adding salt at the beginning lengthens cooking time).
4. While the lentils are cooking, dice chicken into 2" pieces and wrap with bacon pieces.
5. Secure with a toothpick.
6. Melt butter in a large frying pan, add wrapped chicken and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and brown chicken.
8. Add wine, lower heat and simmer for about 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
9. Add lentils to the pan with the chicken, season with salt and pepper, mix well and allow flavors to meld for about 10 minutes.
10. Serve hot.

Reviews

[MEAN CHEF]

This dish was wonderful - a basic flavorful lentil stew with chicken and bacon. I did not wrap the chicken pieces with bacon, but instead cooked the bacon and then cooked the chicken in the bacon fat. Do not omit the fennel seeds - they are a great touch. I usually don't soak lentils, but I did for 2 hours and they ended up cooking in about 25 minutes. I made this dish way ahead and simply reheated for dinner. We will be making this often.

[Chef #1275380]

Different. Good! I like that this recipe contains both lentils and meat. Many lentil recipes are veggie. I had cooked lentils already and a baked chicken, so I didn't wrap the chicken, but added turkey bacon and chicken separately. Served it with toasted french bread with melted Munster cheese. Mmmm.

[Dustbunni]

We really loved this dish. I pretty much followed the recipe. There's just two of us so we got to enjoy for two days. I'll sure be making this one again.