Community recipe
Mustard-Roasted Chicken with Lemony Lentils and Carrots
Crisp-skinned mustard chicken and sweet roasted carrots sit over tender, brothy lentils brightened with lemon and parsley. A hearty, weeknight-friendly dinner made with familiar ingredients.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 400 g carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 900 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oils
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 200 g dried green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 600 ml chicken broths
- 15 g fresh parsleies, washed, dried, and chopped
- 1 lemon, washed and halved for juice
- 0.25 tsp kosher salt (optional)
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven and prepare the vegetables
Set an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set out a large rimmed baking sheet and a medium saucepan with a lid. Wash, scrub, and dry 400 g carrots, then cut them into 1-inch pieces. Peel and finely dice 1 onion; peel and mince 3 garlic cloves. Keep the onion and garlic beside the saucepan. | Why: Evenly sized carrots roast at the same rate, and having the aromatics ready makes the stovetop cooking easier.
- 02
Season the chicken and carrots
Pat 900 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels; do not rinse. Spread 1 tbsp Dijon mustard over the flesh side of the thighs. Place them skin-side up on one side of the baking sheet. Arrange the prepared carrots on the other side, leaving space around the chicken. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the chicken skin and carrots. Sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper evenly over both; toss the carrots on their side of the pan. Wash hands and any surfaces that touched raw chicken. | Why: Dry, well-spaced chicken browns more readily, while mustard seasons the meat without coating the skin.
- 03
Roast the chicken and start the lentils
Once the oven reaches 400°F (200°C), put the baking sheet on the center rack. Roast for 40–45 minutes, turning the carrots after about 25 minutes, until they are tender and browned and the chicken skin is golden and crisp. Check the thickest part of each thigh, away from the bone, with a thermometer: it must reach 165°F (74°C). Meanwhile, rinse and drain 200 g dried green lentils in a fine-mesh sieve. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the prepared onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the prepared garlic and 1 tsp dried thyme; stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the drained lentils and 600 ml chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are tender but hold their shape. Remove the lid for the last few minutes if they look too soupy. | Why: Starting the lentils while the chicken roasts lets both finish together; a gentle simmer keeps the lentils intact.
- 04
Brighten, rest, and serve
While everything finishes cooking, wash and dry 15 g fresh parsley, then chop it. Wash 1 lemon, cut it in half, and squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice from it, discarding any seeds. When the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), remove the baking sheet from the oven and rest the chicken for 5 minutes. Stir the lemon juice and half the parsley into the cooked lentils. Taste and season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt if needed. Divide the lentils among four bowls, add the roasted carrots and a chicken thigh to each, and garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve warm. | Why: A brief rest keeps the chicken juicy, and lemon and parsley lift the savory lentils just before serving.
