I’m a sucker for well-prepared lentils (as is my sister) so when I came across a recipe for chili made with lentils rather than kidney beans I had to try it (and have my sister over for dinner, of course).
It made for a perfect dinner on a cold night. This recipe uses ancho chili powder for a very mild heat, with a super flavor. Red bell peppers lend a sweetness, and opting for fire-roasted diced tomatoes added a different element of flavor to the profile.
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 16-ounces brown lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Directions
- Bring 3/4 cup broth to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is clear and pepper is tender.
- Stir in chili powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add lentils, tomatoes and remaining 7 1/4 cups broth.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
- Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro and serve.
We opted for spinach salads as a first course. Since the chili was so lean we had goat cheese on crackers and a little bit of crumbled bacon on top.
And, of course, a nicely crusted French sourdough bread to dip in the chili 😉
Yummy dinner + fantastic company = happy Kitchbitch!