Kids in the Kitchen: Chicken and Lentil Curry Soup
How do I Get My Kids to Eat More Veggies?
One of the most common questions I get is "how do I get my kids to eat more veggies?"
Today's recipe on our Kids in the Kitchen series, is an awesome family friendly meal that actually helps our kiddos eat their veggies.
Yes! You heard me right!
This Chicken and Lentil Curry Soup is a flavorful dinner that my family loves. The curry is not chili pepper spicy, but has lots of bold flavor which keeps the whole meal interesting and delicious! And when food is delicious, you can't help but eat it, even when there are veggies in it!
The Best One-Pot Meal
You might be feeling like....
a) You have even less time to make dinner, now that your kids are home full time.
b) You are struggling to find ways to get your kids to eat veggies, or...
c) You are struggling to get yourself to eat veggies nowadays!
No matter which option you choose (maybe you chose all three) this recipe is an awesome one-pot meal that could help you nip all 3 of those issues in the bud.
Chicken and Lentil Curry Soup
I personally love a meal that I can throw into the crockpot or Instapot in just a few minutes. Letting it cook all day makes the house smell amazing and I feel like I've done a lot of work and am winning at life (#momwin #domesticgoddess!). But really, I feel so organized and empowered when dinner is cooked and ready before anyone gets hungry!
The curry powder used in this recipe is very mild. It brings a lot of flavor but no heat, so it is perfect for people that are just starting out trying curries or for little kiddos that are not going to enjoy a super spicy meal. I used the Maharajah curry powder from Penzeys, but I know that there are lots of curry powders available online or at some grocery stores.
I use chicken leg quarters in this recipe, but you can absolutely use other cuts of chicken such as thighs or breasts. The point is to cook the soup until the chicken meat is falling off the bone or very, very tender. Then just shred the chicken and remove any bones from the soup before serving.
If you didn't want to use chicken, you could use all vegetables for this recipe. Some of our fave veggies to use are sweet potatoes, green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots and even cabbage. The flavorful curry sauce cooks into the vegetables to create a tender and delicious one-pot meal.
As a final touch, I like to add in a handful of chopped kale for some beautiful flecks of green in the soup. Since the kale wilts into the soup, it becomes super small so the kids don't complain about it. Also, you can't beat the added nutrients that kale brings to the dish! If you don't have any kale, you can use spinach, or even cilantro or parsley as a garnish.
Kids in the Kitchen Facebook Live
Wanna know how to make this quick and easy recipe? Check out our FB live!
I also share 3 more tips to help your kids eat veggies.
Did you make this recipe? I'm so glad you did! I would love to see your meal. Please snap a photo and tag me at nourish_with_renata on IG or Facebook. I'd love to see what you and your kids make!
Chicken and Lentil Curry Soup
This is the ultimate flavorful yet simple crockpot or Instapot recipe for a family friendly dinner!
- 1 onion, (diced)
- 6 chicken leg quarters, (about 3 lb)
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1/2 cup green lentils
- 2 tbsp curry powder like Maharajah powder
- 1 L chicken stock
- 1 cup kale, (chopped)
- Salt to taste
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To your crockpot or Instapot, add the onion, chicken, butternut squash, lentils, curry powder and stock.
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Cover with the lid and cook on high for approx. 5 hours in the crockpot, or for approx. 20 mins on high pressure in the Instapot. We want the chicken to be very tender and the meat is falling off the bone.
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If using an Instapot, allow for natural pressure release for about 15 mins, then open the valve to complete the pressure release, before opening the lid.
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Remove the chicken from the crockpot/instapot and take the meat off the bone.
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Return the meat to the crockpot/instapot and add in the kale.
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Stir, taste and season with salt, if needed.
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Enjoy by itself or add some rice to really beef up the meal.
Want another crockpot recipe? Check out my No-Chop Crockpot Chili recipe right here.