Chicken Soup with Lentils, Bell Peppers, Celery and Bacon

I would like to suggest making a hearty chicken soup with red lentils. You can cook this soup without potatoes, but add aromatic vegetables – celery stalk and bell pepper. Fry the vegetables with the bacon slices. The soup will turn out to be bright and tasty.

Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• Chicken legs – 750 g (2 pcs.)
• Bacon – 100 g
• Red lentils – 120 g
• Bulgarian pepper (frozen) – 280 g
• Celery (stem) – 100 g
• Carrots – 290 g
• Bulb onions – 2 pcs. (180 g)
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Dried thyme – 1 teaspoon
• Black peppercorns – 7 pcs.
• Salt to taste
• Bay leaf – 1 pc.
• Fresh parsley – 20 g
• Water – 2 l

Directions

1. Place the chicken legs in a saucepan.
2. Peel one smaller onion and make a shallow cross-cut on one side. Dip the onion into a pot of chicken legs. Peel two cloves of garlic, crush lightly with a knife, and add to the saucepan.
   Stir in dried thyme. Send bay leaves and black peppercorns there.
3. Pour in 2 liters of water. Cut half of the specified number of celery stalks into large pieces, add to a saucepan, and put on fire. Bring water to a boil. From the moment it boils, cooks for 35-40 minutes over low heat. Remove foam as foam forms.
4. Cut the bacon into small cubes (I used fresh). Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Put the bacon in there and fry for 3-4 minutes over low heat.
5. Peel the second onion and cut it into small cubes. Add to bacon. Stir. Cook for 4-5 minutes over low heat.
6. Peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes. Add to skillet. Stir. Cook for 4-5 minutes over low heat. Add vegetable oil if necessary. I didn’t do this because the bacon gave off enough fat during frying.
7. Cut the remaining celery into small cubes. Cut the bell peppers into strips (I already have it sliced ​​and frozen). Add vegetables to the skillet. Stir. Cook for another 5-6 minutes over low heat.
8. Remove the finished chicken legs from the broth. Cool it down. Separate the chicken meat from the bones and skin and cut it into small pieces.
9. Strain the broth and return to the pot.
10. Add the sautéed vegetables and bacon to the broth.
11. Rinse lentils and add to a saucepan. Stir and let it boil. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, until all ingredients are cooked.
12. After 15 minutes of boiling, add the chopped chicken. Season to taste with salt and stir.
13. Peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Wash the parsley and chop finely. Add chopped herbs and garlic to the saucepan. Stir and bring the soup to a boil. Turn off the fire. Cover the pot with a lid and let the soup sit for 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy your meal!