Chicken and Lentil Chili

One week before the drive to Salina. I've been preparing the ranch for my three-day absence — arranging with Tommy Henderson to do the morning and evening cattle checks, making sure the horses are set, confirming the hay and water are adequate. The farrier accounts are covered; I moved the one appointment I had Thursday to the following Monday.

I made a big batch of elk chili Tuesday and put half in the freezer and took the other half to Gary on Thursday. Not because he needed elk chili — he lives in Billings and has access to grocery stores — but because giving Gary a container of elk chili felt like the right way to mark something. He looked at it and said, "What's this for?" I said, "The drive to Kansas." He said, "I didn't know elk chili was a talisman." I said, "I didn't either until just now." He laughed. He put it in his refrigerator. I think he understood.

I've been reading about Salina, Kansas. Not researching — just looking at it on the map, understanding the geography, the way I check terrain before I move through it. A small city of fifty thousand in the middle of the Great Plains, wheat and cattle country, the kind of place that has the same bones as Roundup except flatter and warmer and without the mountains. Derek grew up there. He grew up in a place shaped like home but different in every way I grew up. I think about that. The commonalities he and I had despite the distance between Kansas and Montana — ranch families, hard work, the outdoors, the kind of young men who end up in infantry units. Different grass. Same sky.

The elk version I made Tuesday came from the same instinct as this recipe — a deep pot, a long simmer, something that fills the house with a smell that means you’re prepared. When I don’t have elk on hand or I’m making a batch to share with someone who might not know what to do with wild game, this chicken and lentil chili is what I reach for. It carries the same weight. It travels the same way.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sour cream, shredded cheddar, and sliced green onions for serving (optional)

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Brown the chicken. Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on the outside, about 5–6 minutes. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
Add the spices. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. Stir to coat everything evenly and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add lentils, tomatoes, and broth. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Add the rinsed lentils and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
Simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the chili has thickened. Add the kidney beans in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Adjust and serve. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne to your preference. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and green onions if desired. Chili keeps refrigerated for 5 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken and Lentil Chili — The Pot You Make Before the Long Drive