Today, February 10th, 2019, the day that I started writing this particular blog post, is the first ever World Pulses Day. Keep in mind it may or may not be the day that I actually finish this blog post. Why? Well, first off I can be a huge procrastinator. And secondly, I started going through all my blog posts in which lentils, chickpeas, beans....pulses...are featured as I wanted to retweet/repost them to honour and celebrate this new fabulous day. I got caught up in all the amazing recipes that I have posted. Yup I'm tooting my own horn (get it? 'cause beans and lentils can make you a bit tooty??? Hello? Is this thing on? Tough crowd.) There are a lot of recipes on here showcasing pulses which both surprised me and made me very very happy. I LOVE my pulses, especially my lentils (bit biased but that's ok. My blog, my rules.) I love the fact that pulses are budget friendly, they are easy to cook, they are quick to cook, they are good for the planet, they are good for you...and most importantly, they are absolutely delicious!
It's hard to choose a favourite outstanding recipe but one of my most favourite lentil recipes (as I said, my blog, my grammar rules) was the Blackened Chicken with Creole Lentils . But hold on... there is another candidate in the running now. Especially because this new recipe is stupidly easy and quick. And it's prepared in my most favourite (my blog, my rules) kitchen appliance: The Instant Pot (or "Instapot" which is how I pronounce it. Just try saying it that way. I think you'll like the way it just rolls off the tongue.) One pot meals are the absolute best. I am a procrastinator AND I am lazy. Me and the Instant Pot are a match made in heaven. Just meant to be.
I have made this recipe twice so far. I had a difficult time finding salsa verde in our local grocery stores. Didn't think it would be so difficult to find but apparently it is. I instead found "Green Salsa" which I'm not entirely sure is the same thing even though I know that "verde" translates into "green." I just don't think it's the same salsa. But I am open to compromises so I went with it. I didn't use jalapeños...I also find them difficult to find here...and I don't really like them truth be told, which is the real reason I didn't look too hard to find them. I absolutely LOOOOOOVE cilantro. But my step son doesn't. Hence the omission of cilantro in the first version that I made. And hence the overabundance of cilantro in the second edition that I made when he wasn't here. Glorious. Sorry to all those Cilantrophobes who have a hate-on for Cilantro. Poor you. Get over it and move on I say. Haters gonna hate.
It's pretty much the easiest recipe I've ever made. As in it is definitely the easiest recipe that I have ever made. I barely had to chop anything (thank gawd). Didn't have to saute a darn thing. Just throw everything into the Instant Pot, choose Pressure Cooker for 20 minutes. Quick release. Leave the chicken whole or shred up with a fork. Serve on a bed of rice. A little squeeze of lime juice, perhaps a few more spoonfuls of the Salsa Verde imposter. Or even some tomato based salsa. Maybe some sour cream or plain yogourt. Garnish with a whole bunch of cilantro...just not on the step sons' plate if he's home because he will not be impressed. At all. Nope.
Happy World Pulses Day from Bistro 164!!!!
PS: MmmmmmmCilantro ;-)
Instant Pot Chicken, Lentils, Salsa Verde and Lime
from Pinch of Yum
Skill Level: Stupidly easy. Love it!
Scale of Deliciousness: Over the top
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 cups of dried lentils (I used a combo of dried green and brown, gave them a bit of a rinse under water first)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 cups salsa verde (or "green salsa" if you can't find the real stuff...I had to use 2 cups of green salsa and 1 cup of regular tomato salsa the first time round....still delicious)
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 a small onion, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro chopped (plus more for garnish)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 jalapeños, diced (I omitted them in mine)
salt to taste
Directions
Add everything to the Instant Pot. Cook on "Pressure Cooker" setting for 20 minutes. Quick release. You can serve the chicken as is or shred with a fork. Serve on some rice, add a squeeze of lime, add more salsa verde, or add some yogourt/sour cream. Add a huge handful of chopped cilantro ;-)
Enjoy!
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