Preparing for bariatric surgery? This hearty and nutritious chicken and lentil soup is perfect for your pre-op diet. Packed with protein and fibre, it’s both satisfying and easy on your digestive system.
This recipe makes a full batch which can then be frozen into portions. It is crucial to weigh/measure all ingredients using digital kitchen scales to ensure you consume the appropriate amount of nutrients.
Please note these recipes are as part of our pre-operative diet guidance. These diets should only be used before surgery, as advised by your dietician and should not be used for general weight loss or for after surgery.
Half-batch contains:
- A maximum of 600kcals.
- A minimum of 37g protein.
- A maximum of 52g carbohydrate.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon/15ml olive oil
- 200g onions, diced
- 250g carrots, diced
- 200g celery stalks, slice
- 2tsp ground coriander (optional)
- 2tsp ground cumin (optional)
- 100g red lentils
- 1 litre chicken stock, made with 1 cube
- 300g skinless chicken breast, sliced
- Pepper, to taste
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
- Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the spices, if using, and cook for a further minute.
- Add the lentils and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking.
- Add the chicken and cook for a further
20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the lentils are soft. Add more water if needed and continue to stir occasionally to avoid sticking. - Season with pepper as desired.
- Blend until smooth or eat chunky*.