American · Mains
Quick and Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken, Lentil, and Bacon Stew With Carrots
The pressure cooker is an amazing device for making flavor-packed stews in very short order. In this version, French lentils are flavored with big chunks of pancetta, chicken stock, carrots, onions, bay leaves, and fall-off-the-bone tender chicken legs. It all cooks in about 30 minutes start to finish.
Ingredients
Serves 4- 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1slab bacon or pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch lardons
- 1 mediumonion, diced
- 2 mediumcarrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 ozdried French lentils, such as Le Puy
- 12 sprigsparsley, leaves roughly chopped, stems tied together with a piece of kitchen twine
- 2bay leaves
- 2 ½ lbbone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (a mix of thighs and drumsticks for best texture, though breasts will work as well)
- 1 quarthomemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tspsherry vinegar, plus more to taste
Method
- 01
Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bacon and cook until starting to crisp around edges, about 1 minute. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes longer. Add carrots, lentils, parsley stems, bay leaves, chicken legs, and chicken stock. Season gently with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- 02
Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Cool pressure cooker under a cold running tap (if using an electric cooker, use the quick release valve), and open. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to a bowl. Discard parsley stems. Return lentils to high heat and continue cooking, stirring, until reduced to a thick, stew-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, shred chicken, discarding bones and skin.
- 03
Stir chicken and vinegar into beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in half of chopped parsley, and serve, passing remaining parsley, sherry vinegar, and olive oil at the table.