Free Range Chicken & Lentil Dhansak With Fragrant Pilau Rice

Boil a kettle

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Chop your cherry tomatoes in half

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a knob of butter and a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion and halved cherry tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for 6-7 min or until starting to soften

Once softened, add your garam masala, cayenne pepper (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and ground turmeric and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Meanwhile, dissolve your chicken stock mix in 500ml [750ml] [1L] boiled water

Rinse your red lentils in a sieve under cold running water

Once fragrant, add the rinsed lentils and chicken stock to the pan and cook for 15-18 min or until the lentils are almost tender

While the lentils are cooking, crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Heat a pot with a lid with a knob of butter over a medium heat, add your crushed cardamom pods and cook for 1 min or until toasted

Add your basmati rice and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your pilau rice

While the rice is cooking, cut your free range chicken breast portions into bite-sized pieces

Once the lentils are almost tender, add the chopped chicken and mango chutney to the pan and cook for 9-10 min further or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the lentils are tender

Once done, stir in the juice of half your lemon[s] – this is your free range chicken & lentil dhansak

Meanwhile, chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Cut the remaining lemon into wedges

Remove the cardamom pods from the pilau rice - this is your fragrant pilau rice