Can I freeze chicken lentil curry?

Yes, you can freeze chicken lentil curry easily. After cooking, let the curry cool, then put it in an airtight container or a freezer bag. You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you want to eat the curry, thaw it in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it is hot.

What to serve with chicken lentil curry?

A great way to serve chicken lentil curry is with fluffy basmati rice and a dollop of yoghurt. The basmati rice is perfect because its light and fluffy grains soak up the rich, flavourful sauce, providing a gentle complement to the bold spices. Adding yoghurt on top gives a creamy texture and a cooling effect, which helps to mellow the curry’s heat and rounds out the flavours exquisitely.

How can I reheat leftover chicken lentil curry?

To reheat leftover chicken lentil curry, put it in a pan with a little water or stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until it is hot all the way through. This curry often tastes even better the next day. Keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container to keep it fresh.

How long can I keep leftover chicken lentil curry in the fridge or freezer?

Store leftover chicken lentil curry in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, place the cooled curry in a sealed container or freezer bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw the curry in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until hot.

Chicken lentil curry

20 mins cooking time

Strap on your apron and invite the rich tastes of India to your kitchen with this easy chicken lentil curry. This simple recipe combines tender pieces of chicken, hearty lentils, and fresh spinach, in an aromatic spiced sauce – all made more glorious with Lurpak®. And the best part? You can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes. Proof that cooking up authentic curry doesn’t have to be complex.

Chicken lentil curry

20 mins cooking time

Ingredients

4 portions

100 g Lurpak® Soft Unsalted

2 red onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

15 g fresh ginger, peeled and grated

500 g skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2cm chunks

100 g dried red lentils, rinsed

400 ml chicken stock or water

2 tsp cumin seed

2 tbsp mustard seeds

12 curry leaves

salt and black pepper

200 g spinach

TO SERVE

Plain yoghurt

Cooked basmati rice

Scan to see the recipe online

Method

Over medium heat, melt 30g Lurpak® butter and cook the onions until softened and starting to brown slightly. Then add garlic, garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes to release the flavours of the spices.

When adding the garlic and spices, stir them constantly to prevent them from sticking to the pan and burning. Cooking the spices for a couple of minutes helps release their oils and maximise their flavours.

Place the chicken in the pan with the spices and mix to evenly coat all the pieces and brown the chicken.

Add the dried lentils and cover with the stock or water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender and just starting to break down.

After adding the lentils and liquid, scrape the bottom of the pan to lift any bits that have stuck during browning. Add a bit more liquid if it seems too dry before the lentils are tender.

In a separate medium-sized frying pan, add 15g butter. When it sizzles, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute. Pour this mixture into the chicken. Season with salt and black pepper.

Be careful not to burn the seeds and leaves; they should sizzle and pop, but if they start to smoke, reduce the heat.

Add the remaining butter and the spinach and stir until the spinach has just wilted and Lurpak® butter has melted. Serve with yoghurt and cooked basmati rice.

Questions about chicken lentil curry

Chicken lentil curry is a hearty and flavourful dish loved by many. Below, you will find answers to some common questions to help you enjoy this recipe to its fullest.

Yes, you can freeze chicken lentil curry easily. After cooking, let the curry cool, then put it in an airtight container or a freezer bag. You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you want to eat the curry, thaw it in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it is hot.
A great way to serve chicken lentil curry is with fluffy basmati rice and a dollop of yoghurt. The basmati rice is perfect because its light and fluffy grains soak up the rich, flavourful sauce, providing a gentle complement to the bold spices. Adding yoghurt on top gives a creamy texture and a cooling effect, which helps to mellow the curry’s heat and rounds out the flavours exquisitely.
To reheat leftover chicken lentil curry, put it in a pan with a little water or stock and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until it is hot all the way through. This curry often tastes even better the next day. Keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container to keep it fresh.
Store leftover chicken lentil curry in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, place the cooled curry in a sealed container or freezer bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw the curry in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until hot.

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Lurpak® Light

You can now enjoy the delicious taste of Lurpak® and use it exactly as you would any other butter, just with less fat.

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Make an easy chicken lentil curry

Craving a delicious meal but short on time? Cook up this scrumptious chicken lentil curry – the perfect solution. Ready in just 20 minutes, it is ideal for a hassle-free midweek dinner or for cooking in bulk to stock your freezer.

Curries are a staple in many households, so you have probably had a fair share. But this easy chicken lentil curry recipe truly stands out for its ease and taste. It is an Indian-style curry that combines tender chicken, wholesome lentils, and fresh spinach in a beautifully aromatic sauce. The flavours are rich and comforting, with just the right touch of spice to make each spoonful exciting.

Juicy chicken meets tender red lentils and fresh spinach

Juicy chicken chunks are the perfect match for the soft, almost buttery texture of red lentils, while earthy spinach adds a touch of freshness and colour to every bite.

The chicken is cooked until succulent and tender, soaking up the rich spices and mingling with the earthy lentils, while the lentils are great for thickening the curry. The spinach is added at the end and wilts into the hot curry, lending its mild, slightly sweet flavour.

Full of goodness and flavour from aromatic spices

The true essence of curry lies in its blend of spices, taking this recipe from simple to glorious. Garam masala, with its warm, aromatic allure, lays the groundwork with hints of cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, and cardamom, among others. The Indian spice mix gets a little nuance from the lemony tang of ground coriander and the smoky depth of cumin. Turmeric brightens everything with its golden hue and earthy bitterness.

The recipe also uses whole cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry leaves, which are fried briefly in butter to release their intense flavours — nutty cumin, sharp mustard, and the unmistakably citrus-like aroma of curry leaves.

Enjoy with creamy yoghurt and fluffy basmati rice

The best way to serve this red lentil chicken curry is over a bed of steamy, fluffy basmati rice, which soaks up the rich sauce perfectly. Adding a dollop of creamy yoghurt on top not only introduces creamy texture but also adds a cooling contrast that works wonderfully with the spicy and robust flavours of the curry. The yoghurt helps mellow the heat and binds the flavours together in the best possible way.

Here, you will find a variety of quick and easy dinner recipes, ensuring there is something for everyone to love. Try a juicy rib-eye steak with Asian slaw, pan-fried cod with lime and chilli, or tender lamb chops with rosemary and garlic.

Get creative with the recipe

Put your own mark on it! Experiment and get creative with different vegetables, lentils, and spices.

Consider adding carrots or sweet potatoes to your curry. Not only do they add colour, but they also introduce a gentle sweetness that goes hand in hand with the deep, earthy flavours of the spices.

Elevate this lentil curry with chicken by swapping red lentils for yellow or green ones. Yellow lentils partially hold their shape, offering a subtle but welcome bite with the tenderness of the chicken. Green lentils, on the other hand, maintain a firmer texture, providing a satisfying chew, not to mention a lovely visual contrast.

Finish the chicken lentil curry with coconut cream that softens the spices and enriches how each bite feels in the mouth. The mild sweetness of the coconut beautifully balances the heat from the spices, making the dish creamy, soothing, and utterly delicious.

Lurpak® Soft Unsalted

Let your cooking adventure begin. With a spoonful of Lurpak® Soft, straight from the fridge, creating good food has never been easier. Lurpak® Soft will help you unleash your creativity with less effort, whilst not compromising on results.

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