Chicken Lentil Soup

First Prize Heart's Delight Recipe Contest- Junior Division. From "Cooking a la Heart"- Delicious Heart Healthy Recipes from the Mankato Heart Health Program, 1988.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 lbs skinless chicken, cut in pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups lentils
• 1⁄2 cup  split peas
• 3  quarts water
• 1  cup  chopped celery
• 1  cup  chopped carrot
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped onion
• 1  teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  whole thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1⁄4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Directions

1. The night before serving, bring skinned, defatted chicken, lentils and split peas to a boil in water.
2. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours.
3. Remove chicken; bone, dice, and refrigerate.
4. The next day, remove and discard any congealed fat.
5. Add celery, carrots, onion, parsley, thyme, pepper, turmeric, sage and poultry seasoning.
6. Simmer 1 1/4 hours.
7. Just before serving, add diced chicken and heat thoroughly.