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Meat, Meal soups and plant based

Roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils

This roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils is a complete meal for 4, ready in 1 hour 5 minutes, rated easy, at €2.80 per serving. The trick is placing the chicken thighs directly on top of the carrots and parsnips, so their juices make the vegetables tender and flavorful while the lentils cook separately.

Tonight, roasted chicken thighs on a bed of caramelized carrots and parsnips, with green lentils on the side.

Roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

The chicken thighs crisp up in the oven while their juices drip onto the carrots and parsnips roasting underneath, slowly caramelizing them. The result is crackly skin, meat that falls off the bone, and soft root vegetables that have soaked up all the flavor. Green lentils add a rustic touch that turns this into a complete meal, no side dish needed.

This is the dish for a fall or winter evening when you want something warming without spending hours in the kitchen. Mon Chou fits it into your week when you need a simple dinner that pleases adults and basically cooks itself in the oven. Set the pan right in the middle of the table and let everyone serve themselves.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 400 g
  • Parsnips 400 g
  • Onion 2
  • Thyme 6 sprigs
  • Garlic 4 cloves

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1 leaf
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, peel and cut the carrots and parsnips into sticks, and cut the onions into wedges.

    Cut the parsnips thicker than the carrots, they cook faster.

  2. Spread the vegetables in a baking dish with the unpeeled garlic, thyme, oil, salt, and pepper.

    Leave the garlic unpeeled, it turns into a soft, mellow paste.

  3. Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top and roast. 45 min

    Turn the pan halfway through cooking for even browning.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the lentils with the bay leaf in unsalted water, then drain and season with salt. 25 min

    Salt at the end, it keeps the lentil skins tender.

  5. Serve the chicken over the vegetables with the lentils, drizzled with the pan juices.

    Mash the roasted garlic over the lentils, it adds flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs of similar size so they all finish cooking at the same time.
  • Cut the vegetables into even sticks for consistent cooking, otherwise some pieces stay firm while others turn mushy.
  • If your dish is small, use a wide sheet pan instead of a deep one, the vegetables brown better spread out in a single layer.

The variations

  • Swap the parsnips for Jerusalem artichokes or celery root, the flavor changes but the tender texture stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with whole button mushrooms and potatoes, and drizzle extra olive oil before roasting.
  • For a quicker meal, use canned green lentils, just warm them up for a few minutes before serving.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Crusty bread for soaking up juices
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

This dish keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, chicken, vegetables, and lentils together or separate. It freezes well for up to 2 months, ideally without the lentils, which lose some texture. Reheat in the oven or a skillet with a splash of water to keep the chicken from drying out.

Questions about this dish

Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, but cut the cooking time to about 30 minutes since breasts dry out faster. Check with a knife tip, the juices should run clear.

Do green lentils need soaking before cooking?

No, green lentils don't need soaking unlike some other legumes. Just rinse them and cook directly in water with the bay leaf.

Can this dish be prepped ahead of time?

Yes, you can cut the vegetables and cook the lentils the day before. The next day, just assemble the pan and roast the chicken with the vegetables.

Why leave the garlic unpeeled in the pan?

Unpeeled garlic roasts gently without burning and turns into a soft, creamy pulp. Just squeeze the clove to release the flesh and flavor the lentils or vegetables.

How long does it take to make a roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a roast chicken with root vegetables and green lentils cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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