
Photo by Karen Hermann
Serves 4
Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups lentils, picked over for stones and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
2–3 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Fresh chopped parsley
Classic chicken salad (serves 4)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
½ cup chopped celery
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill or tarragon
Fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt (optional if chicken is already seasoned)
Bread slices (your favorite)
Lettuce
Add oil to Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until onions are translucent. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add cumin, paprika, lentils, stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft, 30–40 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, herbs and pepper. Toss to thoroughly combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make sandwich, cover one slice of bread with lettuce leaf and cover with ½ cup (or more as desired) of chicken salad. Top with other slice of bread.
Chef’s tip: How to thicken soup naturally. If soup is too thin, add 2 cups to a blender and puree. Add back into the pot and stir.