LENTILS SOUP with LEMON PEPPER ROTISSERIE CHICKEN and FRESH BI-COLOR CORN.

With this hurricane Irma bringing so much rain, I felt it was time for a comforting soup. Lentils came to mind immediately; and they are one of the most nutritious legumes available. They cook fast and can be eaten in stews with pork or chicken; in salads, and soups. Today, I decided to cook my lentils with rotisserie lemon pepper chicken as well as rotisserie homemade chicken stock.  Delicious!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes to one hour
Approximate Cost: $10.44 or $2.61 per serving
Difficulty Level:         Easy __X__ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients to make the Lentil Stew ($7.89)
2 cups of organic green dried lentils ($1.89)
8 cups of homemade chicken stock (0)
2 plus chicken or beef powdered flavor bouillon (.65)
2 stalks Chopped celery (.35)
2 tbsp. minced dried onion (.65)
Rotisserie chicken ($2.00)
1 tbsp. olive oil (.35)
2 ears of fresh bi-color corn ($2.00)
 
Ingredients to make Stock: ($2.55)
1 cup Herbs: I used basil, flat leave parsley and Cuban oregano (.65)
1 large onion (.40)
5 cloves of fresh garlic (.80)
3 celery stalks (.35)
3 sweet peppers “ajicitos” (.35)
8 cups of water (0)
 
Directions to make the Lentil Soup
Sort and rinse the lentils.
In a large stock pot, add the 8 cups of water or use chicken stock instead. Add one bouillon, the lentils and corn.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and then cover with the lid tilted for about 45 minutes until tender.
(This time however, I used my pressure cooker and since it cooks faster, my lentils were done in about 20 minutes. It all depends on your stove, mine is gas and cooks very well).
While the lentils soften, work with the rotisserie chicken, remove all skin and the bones.
(You will need both thighs for the stew). Chop or shred the thighs and set aside to add to the lentils.
In a skillet with olive oil, sauté the chopped celery, when golden brown, add the chicken, 1 powdered bouillon and carefully, add about a cup of the lentils water or chicken stock if you have it in the fridge). Taste to adjust the salt, you may keep it as is, or add more bouillon powder to taste. Bring to a boil and pour the whole thing into the lentils stock pot.
Bring to another light boil and if the lentils are tender to your like, you are ready to plate.
 
Directions to make the chicken stock
In a stock pot add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté all the stock listed ingredients.
Add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from stove and when the stock is at room temperature, strain to obtain a clean liquid stock.
Refrigerate and use within a week in soups, stews, beans or warm broth with a sandwich.
 
HACK:
Save the 2 breasts for chicken salad and/or sandwiches on another day.
Save the 2 drums for a snack lunch any day you wish, smile.
Save all the bones to make stock to use during the week.