Moroccan-Style Chicken Thigh & Lentil Stew

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

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

Once hot, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until softened

While the onion softens, boil a kettle

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Dissolve the creamed coconut and chicken stock mix in 750ml [975ml] [1.4L] boiled water – this is your coconut stock

Add your sultanas to a small bowl, cover them with boiled water and set them aside

Once the onion has softened, add the chopped garlic and ras el hanout and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Rinse your red lentils in a sieve under cold running water and add them to the pan with the coconut stock

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 25-30 min or until the lentils are cooked and the sauce has thickened – this is your Moroccan-style lentil stew

Meanwhile, heat a separate, large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the diced chicken thigh to the pan with your ground sumac and a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 min or until golden and cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your sumac chicken

Meanwhile, chop your cherry tomatoes in half

Strip you mint leaves from their stems and chop them finely, discarding the stems

Drain the soaked sultanas and chop them roughly

Combine the halved tomatoes, chopped mint and chopped sultanas with the juice of half the lemon[s], a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt – this is your tomato & sultana salsa

Cut the remaining lemon into wedges