We have transformed the seemingly difficult task of encouraging children to eat more fruits and veggies into a mouthwatering delight. This hearty soup is full of nutrients and a covert method to get your kid to eat healthy foods like lentils, apples, and fragrant spices.
Even the finicky eaters will devour this soup thanks to its silky smoothness and tempting smoky bacon topping. In addition, soups are great for keeping kids hydrated and fed, especially on cold days when they might use a bowl of comforting warmth.
Most Comforting Red Lentils and Chicken Soup Recipe
This creamy red lentil and chicken soup combines nutritious ingredients like lentils, apples, and spices, topped with crispy bacon for a comforting, family-friendly dish perfect for chilly days.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Course: dinner, lunch, soup
Keyword: Chicken lentil soup, Picky eater soup, Red lentil soup
Servings: 2
- ½ cup red lentils – rinsed
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- ½ cup boiling water
- 2 banana shallots – finely chopped or onions
- 1 confit garlic clove, chopped, or ½ a regular clove, grated
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 2 small apples, or 1 large apple – peeled and chopped
- 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
- Coconut oil or olive oil – for cooking
Heat a little coconut or olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Toss in the garlic and banana shallots that have been coarsely sliced. You can also use onions in place of banana shallots. Add the aromatics and sauté gently for 3–4 minutes or until tender.
Add the curry powder and mix thoroughly to coat the garlic and shallots. Allow the spices to become fragrant by cooking for one or two minutes.
Then add the lentils, chicken broth, and hot water and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Be sure to stir every so while to avoid any sticking.
For a sweeter taste, add the chopped apples and keep cooking for 10 more minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through and the apples have softened a bit.
With a stick blender or a Nutri bullet, carefully blend the soup. In order to avoid burns or spills caused by the hot liquid, make sure not to overfill the container. Mix until combined and creamy.
In a separate skillet, cook the streaky bacon over medium heat until it's brown and crispy while the soup is blending. Drain on a paper towel, then break up into little bits
For an extra smoky flavor, garnish each cup of soup with a few crispy bacon pieces.
Advice: If you're trying to make it vegetarian, you may use veggie stock instead of chicken bone broth and put bacon out.
To further improve the flavor, you can add a sprinkle of olive oil or fresh parsley as a garnish.
Tips
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken bone broth with vegetable stock and omit the bacon.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or a drizzle of olive oil for extra flavor.
Enjoy this cosy, nourishing soup that’s perfect for chilly days!
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