Ginger Miso Chicken and Red Lentil Soup

#5- so f'n good. that is the only way to describe it.

I am very excited to share this recipe. It’s really good!! I also know a lot of you are excited for it too because I don’t think I have ever had so many people direct message me on instagram about wanting, neigh, NEEDING one of my recipes before. Like ever. So tysm for that lil confidence boost I am feeling just as hot as this soup is!! OWOW!!

I would not say this is a “simple recipe” but it is certainly not difficult either. It has quite a few steps but every step is worth it and the results are a nourishing, comforting, and deeply flavorful dish.

We caramelize the onions to add extra depth of flavor to the broth (don’t even think about rushing this step). And we do it in the mixture of olive oil and chicken fat (that we get from first searing the chicken) to add EVEN MORE depth, if you can even believe it!! That, with the addition of miso, ginger, turmeric, and plenty of salt lend you an intensely savory and complex homemade broth. It’s so good!!

In my head, I think you could make this vegan by subbing a ton of different variety mushrooms (at least 1 lb I would think) and searing them off in the beginning (in place of searing the chicken) and just leaving them in the pot while you caramelize the onions and finish the soup. Then serve it with a dollop of unsweetened coconut cream in place of the sour cream and crispy fried onion in place of the crispy chicken skin. I haven’t tried it this way but just typing it out is making me hungry. LMK if you veganize it and tell me if it works or not!! I am so very interested!

As with every recipe, but especially this soup, it is a great idea to mise en place (or to set up). That means getting all your ingredients prepped, washed, chopped, measured etc. so you can just start cooking once you heat up your pot.

mise en place queens

Ingredients

serves 4

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• 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs, salted all over and left to rest at least 30 minutes once salted

• 1 bunch of kale, preferably dino (or lacinato) variety, washed/de-stemmed and roughly chopped

• 1 yellow onion, cut in half then sliced thin

• 2-3 carrots, diced (sometimes my grocery store sells massive carrots, in which case I would only use 2)

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 6 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 inches of fresh ginger, grated (you can sub 2 teaspoons ginger powder but the fresh really is so much better here)

• 1 inch fresh turmeric, grated or 1 teaspoon dried turmeric powder

• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed

• 1/4 cup miso, whisked into 1.5 cups warm water

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• cilantro, dill, or chives (or a mix of them all) for serving (optional)

• sour cream for serving (optional, but don’t not do it)

chickens getting their sear on

Instructions

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1. Grab a large dutch oven or soup pot and preheat over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and then place the chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 6-8 minutes, until the skin is a deep golden brown and crispy. Flip and sear for another 3-4 minutes just to render some more fat.
   The chicken does not need to be all the way cooked through because we will add it to the boiling water later to finish cooking.
   Take the chicken out and peel the skin away once it is cool enough to handle. place the skin on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside for later.

   

2. To the pot, still over med-high heat (there should be lots of good chicken fat in there now, along with the olive oil), add the onions and season with salt. Cook stirring often until caramelized and slightly frizzled and brown on the edges, about 15-18 minutes.

   

   onions on their way to caramelization perfection

3. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic and season again with salt, cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until they start to brighten in color and just start to get tender. Then add the turmeric, ginger, and chili flakes and cook until fragrant. 1-2 minutes more.

4. Add the miso-water mixture and stir, scraping all the good bits off the bottom of the pan that might have accumulated. Add 6 more cups of water and season again with a bit of salt.

5. Add the lentils, the (now skinless) chicken thighs along with any juices on the plate, and stir in the kale one handful at a time. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, the lentils are tender, and the kale is silky soft.

6. While the soup is finishing: Preheat the oven to 320 farenheit and cook the chicken skins for 15-20 minutes until they are super crispy. turn the heat off once done and leave them in the warm oven until ready to serve.

7. After the soup has simmered for 20-25 minutes cut the heat, take the chicken out and once cool enough to handle shred with a fork and add back to the pot. Stir in the sherry vinegar and taste the broth for salt. Add a bit more if you think you need it and keep adding it a bit at a time until it tastes perfect to you.
   For reference I think I added about 2 teaspoons of salt more at the end, but a little at a time and tasting in between each new addition.

8. Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, or creme fraiche of you are feeling fancy, lots of cilantro, dill, and chives (a mix of all or just your fave), and the crispy chicken skin broken up on top.