Do I need to soak my lentils beforehand?

Nope! Just give them a good rinse to remove any debris and they're ready to use.

Can I add fresh spinach instead of frozen?

Yes! The spinach will have plenty of time to wilt. The benefit of frozen spinach is that it's already chopped into small pieces and it's usually more budget-friendly.

Can I use red lentils?

Brown and green lentils hold there shape better while cooking. Red lentils get mushy and tend to fall apart with long cooking times.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Lentils and Spinach

Ingredients

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Nonstick cooking spray
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 10–ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted with the water squeezed out
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lemon, juiced

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Instructions

Spray the bottom of your slow cooker with a light spray of nonstick cooking spray.
Then, add the chicken, spinach, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, and garlic powder. Stir gently to combine.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and set the temperature to low for eight hours (or high for six hours).
The stew will be nice and thick when it is done cooking.
Remove the lid, stir in the lemon juice, and serve hot.

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
You can also freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Feel free to serve this dish with cooked rice, if you wish.

Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Category: Main dish
Method: Slow cooker
Cuisine: Middle-Eastern Inspired
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 312
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 409.1 mg
Fat: 4.6 g
Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
Carbohydrates: 23.6 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 43.6 g
Cholesterol: 110.3 mg