Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

The flavors in this dish are delicious and I loved the effect of the lentils. When you eat them you feel like you're eating a carb, such as potatoes or rice, but you're not! Lentils are extremely rich in protein and fiber, which are essential to a balanced diet. This recipe is from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  

Ingredients:

8 cups Water
3 tsp Sea salt divided
1lb Dried lentils, (Rinsed drained and picked over)
1 cup Plus 2 tbsp exta virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Red wine vinegar
3 tbsp Ground cumin, divided
2 tbsp Plus 2 tsp chili powder
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 Large onion, peeled and chopped
2lbs Skinless boneless chicken breast or turkey breast (thinly sliced)
1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 cup Chopped fresh or cilantro

Preparation:

1. Combine water and 1 tsp salt in stock pot over high heat. Add lentils. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 -25 minutes. Drain well. Rinse under cold water. Place in large bowl and set aside.

2. In Small bowl, mix 1 cup olive oil , vinegar, 2tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp chilli powder, garlic and 1 tsp salt. Pour this dressing over lentils, reserving some out to pour over chicken.  Toss gently and let cool.

3. In large skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and saute until well cooked, about 5 min. onion should appear dark and soft. Add chicken or turkey and saute 2 min more. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbp cumin, 2tsp chilli powder,and cinnamon. Saute until poultry is cooked through.

4. Arrange lentils on a large serving platter. Place sliced chicken on top of lentils. Use remaining dressing and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve at room temperature.

My notes:  I mixed the cilantro in with the lentils, it worked well.  This is a lot of lentils, if you don't think you want so many, 1/2 the amount.