This hearty chickpea and chicken stew is made with tender chicken, creamy chickpeas, diced peppers, and spicy chorizo. The stew is ready in about 30 minutes, making it a great choice for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.
The chickpea and chicken stew has rich Spanish flavors, a little smokiness from the chorizo, and a mild nutty taste from the chickpeas.
Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) add a nice texture and make the stew hearty and protein-rich. The combination of chicken, chickpeas, and spices makes a warm, cozy meal that tastes even better when reheated. You can cook a bigger batch and warm it up during the week for a quick and easy dinner. Serve it with crusty bread or rolls to soak up the tasty sauce.
I am really into stews of any kind. As a born and raised Romanian, I can almost say I grew up on stews, any kind, from the humble Romanian Potato Sausage Stew to Leek and Olive Stew, richer Pork and Potato Stew, or Paprikash with Dumplings.
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Recipe ingredients
Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs. They are so easy to work with! Try more recipes that combine chickpeas and meat, like Mexican Chickpea Soup with Chicken or Spanish Pork Stew.
Chickpeas (garbanzo peas): One drained can or about 1 ยฝ cups (250 g) of cooked chickpeas. For convenience, I tend to use canned chickpeas; however, whenever I have the time, I cook a whole pack of pulses in the instant pot, use some for this stew and the rest for making Low-Fat Hummus (the best hummus ever), Chickpea Meatballs or any other dish using chickpeas.
Chorizo: You can use either Spanish or Mexican chorizo. There is a difference between the two sorts, and it is usually recommended that they are not used interchangeably. However, in this case, it will not matter that much; the dish will be delicious either way. Try the Chicken and Chorizo Paella, the Choripan con Chimichurri, or the Mexican Chorizo Tostadas, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make chickpea chicken stew?
Preparations: Chop the onions and the sausage. Gather the spices and mix them with the minced garlic in a small bowl. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, chop the peppers and tomatoes - keep them separated from the onions and chorizo. Drain the chickpeas.
Step #1: Saute onions and sausage for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and spices.
Step #2: Add chicken, drained chickpeas, vegetables, and stock. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add herbs and adjust the taste.
Tip: If desired, you can thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry.
Store and reheat
You can serve the chickpeas and chicken stew immediately, but you can also very easily reheat it.
Refrigerate leftovers in the covered pot or an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months and thaw them in the fridge.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Chickpea and Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or another large heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions finely chopped, about 6 oz/ 170 g,
- 3.5 oz chorizo sliced, Note 1
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- ยผ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin
- ยฝ teaspoon ground coriander
- ยฝ teaspoon red chili flakes more or less to taste
- 1 can chickpeas Note 2
- 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs Note 3
- 2 red bell peppers
- 3 tomatoes about 10.5 oz/ 300 g
- 1ยฝ cups chicken stock
- 2-3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3-4 teaspoons cold water
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh parsley or cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Chop the onions finely. Slice the chorizo. Set them aside. Mince the garlic and mix them with spices in a small bowl. 2 medium onions + 3.5 oz chorizo + 3 garlic cloves + 2 bay leaves + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 teaspoon dried oregano + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + ยผ teaspoon smoked paprika powder + ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin + ยฝ teaspoon ground coriander + ยฝ teaspoon red chili flakes
- Chop chicken: Drain and rinse the chickpeas, quarter the chicken thighs, and chop the bell peppers and tomatoes into small cubes. Keep them separated from the spices, the onions, and chorizo.1 can chickpeas + 1.3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs + 2 red bell peppers + 3 tomatoes
- Cook chorizo and onions: Heat the pot without adding any oil, the chorizo will release enough fat to cook the onions. Add the onions and the chorizo to the pot and saute on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add garlic and spices and stir well for about 1 minute. Add chickpeas, chicken, bell peppers, tomatoes, and chicken stock. 1ยฝ cups chicken stock
- Simmer stew: Stir well, cover, leaving a crack open, turn the heat down, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Thicken stew (optional): If you wish the sauce to be thicker, place the cornstarch in a small bowl and add the cold water. Whisk to obtain a thick yet pourable paste. Slowly whisk this paste into the chicken stew and let bubble a few times, the stew should thicken slightly. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.2-3 teaspoons cornstarch + 3-4 teaspoons cold water + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sprinkle with herbs before servingfresh parsley
Notes
- Chorizo: You can use dried, cured Spanish chorizo or raw Mexican chorizo.
- Chickpeas: From a 14 oz/ 400 g can or about 1 ยฝ cups (250 g) of cooked chickpeas.
- Chicken: You can use bone-in chicken thighs (and/or drumsticks) instead. Increase the cooking time accordingly and make sure that the chicken is cooked through before serving it.
Sissi says
Totally agree about chorizo: it's not an ordinary sausage! Lovely stew, I really like this Spanish dish, but have only made it with chorizo. Chicken sounds like an excellent addition (and chicken pairs well with everything!)
Alex says
@Sissi, I already made this dish a few times, I like it better with chorizo than chicken, it tastes more like a Spanish dish would taste. It tastes even better with chorizo blanco (white chorizo) or cured ham.
Alex says
@Sissi, If you are unsure where to buy it I can share with you a page where I always buy it (Originally from Spain). They have a really good ham, chorizo, sobrasada and some other spanish foods.
angiesrecipes says
wow I am drooling, Adina. The stew looks seriously flavourful and tasty!