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Home / Recipes
1 hour 30 minutes
4.74 from 19 votes
38 Comments

One Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Beluga Lentils

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 822
by: Joanna Cismaru
10.03.20

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One Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Beluga Lentils – juicy chicken drumsticks with black Beluga Lentils, fire roasted tomatoes and zucchini, and lots of leeks and garlic.

chicken drumsticks with beluga lentils in a dutch oven right out of the oven

I don’t even know how to start talking about this dish because I’m not sure I can capture all of the deliciousness that is happening in this pot. But I’ll try and do my best. A couple days ago, during my stroll through my local grocery store I came across these black Beluga lentils and, well you know me, I had to buy them and had to come up with a recipe for them immediately. 

I just knew I wanted a delicious stew like dish with chicken drumsticks and fire roasted tomatoes. If you don’t cook much with lentils, they come in different colors, red, green, yellow and black.

What Are Beluga Lentils?

Black Beluga lentils are said to resemble Beluga caviar because they tend to glisten when they are cooked. They’re typically grown in the cooler parts of Canada or the US. But black or any other color they taste pretty much the same, so if you cannot find Beluga lentils, any lentils you have, you can use them in this dish.

What’s So Great About Lentils?

Lentils are a complex little carb that are chock full of fiber, magnesium, and folate. If you’re unfamiliar with these little morsels then allow me to introduce the two of you. They are a great addition to soups, stews, and rice dishes.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – We want a nice mild tasting oil to brown our ingredients in.
  • Chicken – Drumsticks with the skin on. Feel free to use chicken breast or thighs if you’d prefer.
  • Spices – Red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and seasoning salt.
  • Veggies – Leeks and zucchini, both sliced up nice and thin.
  • Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
  • Lentils – I used black beluga lentils today but any color will do!
  • Herbs – Fresh thyme. If dried is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried.
  • Wine – Sauvignon blanc is what I used today because I wanted something a bit drier with lots of flavor.
  • Broth – Low sodium chicken broth so that we can control the salt content of our dish.
  • Tomatoes – 1 entire can of fire roasted tomatoes.
  • Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Optional – I like to add sriracha to this dish to introduce a bit of heat!
a scoop in a pile of beluga lentils

Can I Use Chicken Breast?

You definitely can use either chicken breast or chicken thighs for this recipe, just keep in mind that switching up the protein from a bone in cut to a boneless piece will alter the cooking time. Just keep an eye on your dish to prevent any burning!

How To Make Chicken Drumsticks with Beluga Lentils

  1. Prep your pot: In a large Dutch Oven or casserole dish that can go from stove top to oven, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.
  2. Brown the chicken: Season the chicken drumsticks with the seasoning salt and red chili flakes, then add the drumsticks to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, should take about 5 minutes. The chicken won’t be cooked through, but we will finish cooking it in the oven. Transfer the chicken drumsticks from the Dutch oven to a plate and set aside.
  3. Saute the sauteables: Turn the heat down to medium and add the leeks and garlic. Stir around a bit and cook for about 3 minutes or until the leeks soften and become translucent. Stir in the smoked paprika, then add the beluga lentils, fire roasted tomatoes and white wine.
  4. Create the sauce: Add the chicken broth, Sriracha sauce, stir everything together and taste for seasoning. Adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
  5. Preheat your oven: To 375 F degrees.
  6. Finish the dish: Cook the lentils for about 10 minutes, they will not be cooked through. Add the zucchini to the pot, stir then place the chicken on top of everything. Place the Dutch oven in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until the lentils are cooked through. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.

Do I Have To Use Chicken?

You don’t have to use chicken if you have another protein you’d like to use up instead! I think this recipe goes really nicely with some stewing beef instead.

Don’t Want To Use Wine?

You don’t have to use wine if you’d prefer not to! Chicken broth will substitute 1 for 1 just as easily.

What Else Can I Use In This One Pot Meal?

Another great thing about this recipe, besides it being one pot and delicious, is the fact that it’s quite versatile. Although I give you a basic recipe here, feel free to add what you’d like to bulk it up a bit!

VEGGIES

  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus
  • Peas
  • Mushrooms

STARCHES

You don’t just have just use lentils, you can use some other starches if you’d like!

  • Rice, long grain like Basmati to prevent stickiness
  • Couscous
  • Orzo (cooks way faster than lentils)
chicken drumsticks in a bowl with beluga lentils

Pressure Cooker Option

You can cook this in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 15 minutes. You can brown your chicken and saute your veggies before hand right in the pressure cooker as well, talk about a one pot meal!

Storing Leftovers

FRIDGE

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in for 3 to 5 days.

FREEZER

Freeze in an airtight container for 1 to 2 months.

More Must Try One Pot Recipes:

  • Spanish Chicken and Rice
  • Spicy Pork Ragu with Orzo
  • Hamburger Helper Lasagna
  • Greek Chicken Orzo
  • One Pot Cheesy Taco Orzo
  • Chicken Florentine Gnocchi
  • Chicken Piccata Pasta
  • Cheesy Chicken Pasta

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overhead shot of chicken drumsticks and beluga lentils in a pot

One Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Beluga Lentils

4.74 from 19 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 1 hr 20 mins
Total: 1 hr 30 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 4
Print Pin Rate
One Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Beluga Lentils – juicy chicken drumsticks with black Beluga Lentils, fire roasted tomatoes and zucchini, and lots of leeks and garlic.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 chicken drumsticks skin on
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 cup leeks cleaned and sliced (about 2 large leeks)
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup beluga lentils
  • 1 cup white wine I used Sauvignon Blanc
  • 14 ounce fire roasted tomatoes 1 can
  • 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 1 large zucchini cut in half then sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme for garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch Oven or casserole dish that can go from stove top to oven, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.
  • Season the chicken drumsticks with the seasoning salt and red chili flakes, then add the drumsticks to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, should take about 5 minutes. The chicken won’t be cooked through, but we will finish cooking it in the oven. Transfer the chicken drumsticks from the Dutch oven to a plate and set aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium and add the leeks and garlic. Stir around a bit and cook for about 3 minutes or until the leeks soften and become translucent.
  • Stir in the smoked paprika, then add the beluga lentils, fire roasted tomatoes and white wine.
  • Add the chicken broth, Sriracha sauce, stir everything together and taste for seasoning. Adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
  • Preheat your oven to 375 F degrees.
  • Cook the lentils for about 10 minutes, they will not be cooked through. Add the zucchini to the pot, stir then place the chicken on top of everything.
  • Place the Dutch oven in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until the lentils are cooked through.
  • Garnish with fresh thyme and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  1. You can use chicken breast in this recipe if you prefer.
  2. You could use stewing beef for this recipe as well
  3. You can cook this in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 15 minutes.
  4. If you cannot find black Beluga lentils, any lentils will do.
  5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 612kcal (31%)Carbohydrates: 40g (13%)Protein: 43g (86%)Fat: 26g (40%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Cholesterol: 139mg (46%)Sodium: 1033mg (45%)Potassium: 715mg (20%)Fiber: 12g (50%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 1955IU (39%)Vitamin C: 21.7mg (26%)Calcium: 124mg (12%)Iron: 7.1mg (39%)
Course:Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine:American
Keyword:beluga lentils, drumsticks
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 822

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Kathryn says

    December 13, 2021 at 6:53 am

    So delicious! Even my husband who is not a fan of lentils said he would be happy to eat it again! Didn’t have leeks or white wine so I subbed for onions and 1/2 cup dry vermouth. So good!

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      December 13, 2021 at 10:59 am

      Happy to hear you guys enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Peggy says

    September 14, 2020 at 10:35 am

    This is excellent !!

    Reply
  3. Tom P says

    August 9, 2020 at 7:33 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! I made the following changes: Didn’t have fire toasted tomatoes, so used 2 regular cans of diced. Used onions instead of leeks. My wife and I love garlic, so we doubled the amount. Also used regular lentils.

    Reply
  4. Savannah says

    August 3, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    I just made this for dinner and it is delicious! I used chicken thighs and they are so tender. The lentils are seasoned perfectly. I’m so glad I made this

    Reply
  5. Anne Richmond says

    March 3, 2020 at 9:28 am

    5 stars
    Fabulous with the black lentils, first time I had used them! As I couldn’t find the sriracha sauce, I just looked up the ingredients and winged it! Was very tasteful and comfort food on a cold winters’ night..thank you! It is now in my favourite recipes folder which my husband is pleased about!

    Reply
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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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