If you can’t find Puy, I’ve used green or brown lentils with much success.
Serves 4
8 whole chicken thighs
2 leeks, trimmed and finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 celery sticks, finely diced
3 tbsp olive oil
225g (8oz) dried Puy lentils
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Step one Remove the bones from the chicken thighs and trim down the thigh meat. Place the bones and trimmings in a pan with half of the leeks, carrots and celery. Pour in 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and place in a jug. You will need about 300ml (½ pint) in total so you can reduce it down further after straining if you need to.
Step two Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and place the chicken thighs in, skin-side down. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 20–25 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy. Don’t touch the chicken thighs while they are cooking.
Step three When you can see that the chicken thighs are nicely browned, turn them over and cook for a further 5–6 minutes until completely cooked and tender. Remove from the heat and leave to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.
Step four While the chicken thighs are cooking, rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water, then place in a pan with 600ml (1 pint) of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until al dente. Drain in a sieve and set aside.
Step five Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan and gently cook the rest of the leeks, carrots and celery for about 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the cooked lentils and the stock. Season to taste and simmer for a few minutes until most of the stock has been absorbed and the vegetables are lovely and tender. Carve each chicken thigh into two or three slices. Spoon the savoury lentils onto warmed plates and arrange the slices of crispy chicken on top to serve.