One Pot Black Pepper Chicken Dal With Naan

Before you begin...

This recipe takes around 5-10 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Now, let's get started!

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7, boil a kettle, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Heat a large, wide-based, hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a matching lid with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Drain and rinse your green lentils and red lentils together under cold running water

Crush your garlic open by squashing with the side of a knife and remove the skin

Crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) your ginger, then chop it in half

Add the rinsed lentils, crushed garlic, ginger halves, cardamom pods, curry powder and ground turmeric to the dish and give everything a good mix up

Meanwhile, chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Add in your chicken stock mix, cracked black pepper, chopped creamed coconut and 500ml [650ml] [850ml] boiled water

Give everything a good stir, then top with your diced chicken thigh

Bring to the boil over a high heat, cover with a lid, then put the dish in the oven for an initial 15 min

Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!

After 15 min, remove the dish from the oven and give everything a stir

Return the dish, uncovered, to the oven for 5 min further or until the lentils have split and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your black pepper & chicken dal

Add your naan[s] to a baking tray and put the tray in the oven for 3-4 min or until warmed through