Mexican Red Lentil Soup with Chicken

I have to give a big shout out to Kayln from Kaylyn's Kitchen
for this wonderful recipe. When I read through the recipe
it sounded so perfect as fall approaches and the
weather starts to cool down a little in the evenings.

I made a few changes to her orginal recipe.

Mexican Red Lentil Soup with Chicken

1 chicken breast
1 tbs chili oil
1 cup dry red lentils
1 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsnips
1 T minced garlic (or less, but I like a lot of garlic)
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chile powder
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (chopped or diced)
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 -1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper (Kalyn used tabasco sauce to add heat)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 - 1 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado
1/2 cup queso fresco


Put red lentils in a small pot with 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover. Let lentils sit in the hot water 30 minutes.


While the lentils cook you have time to cut the vegetables. Finely chop the garlic and onion. Chop the red pepper and parsnips. Heat olive oil in soup pot, add vegetables and saute for 3-4 minutes, just long enough that vegetables are starting to soften. Add ground turmeric, ground cumin, and chile powder, stir, and cook 1-2 minutes more. Cook the chicken breast in chili oil or Mexican spices. Slice the chicken into small pieces.


Add diced roasted tomatoes, rest of broth, pieces of chicken and cayenne pepper. Add the partially cooked lentils to the soup pan. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. Taste the soup. Check the texture of the lentils to determine if the soup needs to cook any longer. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

While soup cooks the rest of the way finely chop 1/2 - 1 cup fresh cilantro. Squeeze limes to get 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. When the lentils are as soft as you would like, stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice and cook for just a few more minutes. Peel and chop one avocado.


Serve with a little more cilantro, avocado and some queso fresco.

This was a very flavorful soup!