recipes · bulgur

Turkish lentil soup, bulgur pilaf and marinated chicken

A whole Turkish table: a smooth red lentil soup, a tomato bulgur pilaf and yogurt-marinated chicken. About 50 g of protein a portion.

A bowl of lentil soup with things to serve alongside
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash. It's a free stock photo, not a photo of my own cooking.
  • About 1 h, plus 30 minutes for the marinade
  • ≈ 810 kcal a portion
  • 54 g protein a portion

Portions

Dinner for 2, plus 2 lunch boxes

4

≈ €11 for 4 portions rough supermarket prices in Europe, cupboard basics not counted

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Ingredients

The chicken

  • 600 g chicken breast, cut into chunks
  • 6 tbsp plain yogurt
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp paprika or Aleppo pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt

The lentil soup

  • 200 g red lentils, rinsed
  • 2 small onions, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato or pepper paste
  • 1.5 l water
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp salt

The bulgur pilaf

  • 180 g coarse bulgur
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 480 ml water
  • 1 tsp salt

To serve

  • 2 lemons, cut into wedges
  • 4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method

  1. 1

    Marinate the chicken

    Mix the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, garlic, cumin and salt in a bowl. Add the chicken, coat it well, and leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better).

  2. 2

    Start the soup

    Melt the butter in a large pot. Cook the onion and carrot for 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute.

  3. 3

    Simmer the lentils

    Add the lentils, the water, the cumin and the salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils fall apart. Blend until smooth, or leave it as it is. Add a little water if it's too thick.

  4. 4

    Cook the bulgur

    Heat the olive oil in a pan and stir in the tomato paste and paprika for 1 minute. Add the bulgur and stir to coat it. Pour in the boiling water with the salt, cover, and cook on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the water is gone. Take it off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.

  5. 5

    Cook the chicken

    Cook the chicken in a hot pan with a little oil for 8 to 10 minutes, turning it, until golden and cooked through. You can also roast it at 220 °C (425 °F) for 15 to 18 minutes.

  6. 6

    Serve

    Serve the soup with a squeeze of lemon, and the bulgur with the chicken and the parsley on top.

Tip: For lunch boxes, put the soup in a jar and the bulgur with the chicken in a box. Both keep 3 days in the fridge.

Calories, protein and cost are rough estimates for one portion, to help you plan, not exact figures.

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