Pressure Cooker Chicken Bacon Lentil Stew

Sometimes, just the name of a recipe can be enough for me to take a closer look and make sure it's something I want to make.  That was definitely the case with this recipe from Serious Eats.  I've made a few lentil soups/stews in the past, and liked them, but this one is definitely the best one yet.  The fact that it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish just seals the deal.  The only thing I changed from the original recipe was doubling the number of carrots.  If you have a pressure cooker, you should make this ASAP.  This one got two thumbs up from all four members of our house, and will be made again soon for sure.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Bacon Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 8 ounces slab bacon or pancetta, cut into ½-inch lardons
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 8 ounces dried French lentils, such as Le Puy
• 12 sprigs parsley, leaves roughly chopped, stems tied together with a piece of kitchen twine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (a mix of thighs and drumsticks for best texture, though breasts will work as well)
• 1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bacon and cook until starting to crisp around edges, about 1 minute. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes longer. Add carrots, lentils, parsley stems, bay leaves, chicken legs, and chicken stock. Season gently with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
2. Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Cool pressure cooker under a cold running tap (if using an electric cooker, use the quick release valve), and open. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to a bowl. Discard parsley stems. Return lentils to high heat and continue cooking, stirring, until reduced to a thick, stew-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, shred chicken, discarding bones and skin.
3. Stir chicken and vinegar into beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in half of chopped parsley, and serve, passing remaining parsley, sherry vinegar, and olive oil at the table.

Notes:
I'll probably just use chicken thighs next time, to make the shredding a little bit easier.  
I didn't have sherry vinegar, so I combined a splash of sherry cooking wine with a teaspoon each of rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar.