Chicken With Chick Peas

An exotic recipe for chicken with chickpeas. It’s a simple dish that can be served with rice or other Mediterranean specialties like pita bread or bruschetta. It’s really easy to cook chicken breasts and add some chick peas and other vegetables to make it into a delicious meal. You will like how this recipe tastes, and how easy it is to cook. It’s also good for couples.

Lemon-spiced chicken with chickpeas

• Preparation and cooking time
  • Prep:5 mins
  • Cook:15 mins
• Easy
• Serves 4

A spicy, filling one pot that has a bit of added zing. Make it a mid-week must

• Freezable (2 of 5-a-day)
• Healthy

Highlight	Nutrient	Unit
	kcal	290
	fat	7g
	saturates	1g
	carbs	14g
	sugars	3g
	fibre	4g
	protein	42g
low in	salt	1.03g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion , halved and thinly sliced
• 4 skinless chicken breasts , cut into chunks
• 1 cinnamon stick , broken in half
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 400g can chickpea , drained
• 200ml chicken stock
• 250g bag spinach

Method

• STEP 1Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion gently for 5 mins. Turn up the heat and add the chicken, frying for about 3 mins until golden.
• STEP 2Stir in the spices and lemon zest, fry for 1 more min, then tip in the chickpeas and stock. Put the lid on and simmer for 5 mins.
• STEP 3Season to taste, then tip in spinach and re-cover. Leave to wilt for 2 mins, then stir through. Squeeze over the lemon juice just before serving.

One-Skillet Smoky Turmeric Chicken With Crispy Chickpeas

AUTHOR NOTES

Keep this one-skillet wonder in your back-pocket for nights when you want good food fast. Its deliciousness lies in a few simple techniques—sauteing bite-sized pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in equal parts Spanish smoked paprika and turmeric until they’ve developed a golden crust, then sizzling chickpeas in the spiced, golden fat left in the skillet until they’re ultra-crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. (I liken them to little chickpea nuggets, and fair warning, they’re addictive.)

From there, toss the spiced chicken and chickpeas with some chopped cilantro, and dinner is served, straight from the skillet, with some cooling yogurt sauce on the side. It’s a complete meal on its own, but for a more substantial spread, warm flatbread, a green salad, sliced cucumbers and/or pickled vegetables all make simple, swell companions.

A few notes and tips: I love the pairing of smoky paprika and sunny turmeric, but let your spice cabinet lead the way. Try all turmeric or all paprika, for example, or other spice blends, such as turmeric and cumin, your favorite curry powder, or garam masala. Boneless, skinless chicken breast can stand in nicely for thighs, as can other kinds of beans for the chickpeas. For a meatless version, swap tofu or tempeh for the chicken. If you don’t like cilantro, or have it on hand, other leafy herbs (parsley, mint, basil) or snipped chives or scallions all work well.

• Test Kitchen-Approved

WATCH THIS RECIPE

One-Skillet Smoky Turmeric Chicken With Crispy Chickpeas

• PREP TIME10 minutes
• COOK TIME25 minutes
• SERVES4

Ingredients

• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
• ¹/₂ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or a lesser amount of red chile flakes)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ¹/₄ pounds to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 14 ounces cooked chickpeas (one can)
• ³/₄ cup plain full-fat yogurt (regular or Greek)
• 1 lemon, cut in wedges, for serving
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, for serving
• 4 pieces warm pita or flatbread, for serving, or 4 handfuls fresh greens and/or leafy herbs

In This Recipe

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Dry well with a cotton towel (they’ll get crispier this way!). Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss chicken with turmeric, smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper, salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly coated.
3. In a 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken, distributing the pieces so they’re in a single, even layer. Cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook until nicely browned and cooked to an internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. (Note: If you have a smaller skillet, cook the chicken in batches. A splatter screen or fry guard works well to prevent oil splatter.) Remove skillet from the heat, and transfer chicken to a plate, leaving all of the spiced fat in the skillet.
4. While the chicken is resting, make the chickpeas. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits of fond. (Note: Leave them in the skillet, as long as they’re not burnt, to flavor the chickpeas.) Add another 1 tablespoon olive oil, then the chickpeas and a few pinches of salt, stirring to evenly coat in the spiced fat. It’ll seem like a lot of fat, but trust me, it’s key for the crispiest, crunchiest chickpeas.
5. Cook the chickpeas for about 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. The idea is to go low and slow so the chickpeas become ultra-crispy on the outside, still creamy on the inside. Some will pop and split as they dry and crisp. Taste and add a little more turmeric and/or smoked paprika if desired. When they’re done, turn off the heat and stir in cilantro.
6. While the chickpeas are cooking, make the yogurt sauce by combining yogurt, 2 teaspoons lemon juice (cut the remaining lemon into wedges for serving), a pinch or two of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Adjust seasoning and acidity, to taste.
7. Serve chicken and crispy chickpeas while still warm with warmed pita, yogurt sauce, fresh greens or herbs, and lemon wedges.

EASY CHICKEN AND CHICKPEA PAPRIKASH

How would you like a delicious Chicken Paprikash recipe that’s been made a tad leaner? Made with chicken breasts instead of the traditional thighs and legs, this recipe is not only lower on calories, it is also so much quicker. 

Serve this chicken with our Baked Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Bread. 

Traditional Chicken Paprikash is one of my favourite meals to sit down to as a family. It’s delicious and comforting. Chicken braised in a rich sauce flavoured with paprika and enriched with sour cream is a delight. 

It can be a bit heavy and calorie-laden. So I was determined to lightened it up. And after a few trials I ended up with something incredibly delicious even though not entirely authentic.

LIGHTER VERSION OF CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

Well, traditionally chicken paprikash is made with chicken legs and thighs that need to be fried first in order to crisp up the skin, which means ….more fat. Then it’s braised in a rich paprika sauce. 

I wanted to avoid frying the chicken, so I chose skinless, boneless breasts instead. And to make things even lighter I used half the amount of chicken. Then I added red peppers for some needed vitamins.

I scaled down on the oil and sour cream to reduce the calories. Not only is this chicken paprikash healthy, it is also economical!

To bulk up the dish I added canned chickpeas. If you are a chickpea fan like myself, I don’t need to convince you what a great texture they add. Also being simmered in Hungarian paprika sauce makes them off the scale flavourful…little smoky nuggets of goodness.

TOP RECIPE TIPS

• Sear sliced chicken strips over high heat to brown the meat. This step adds extra flavour to the chicken and the sauce.
• Do the same with red peppers. We want to see some colour on them. 
• Use the paprika that is still potent and fragrant. Dried spices do go out of date, so make sure to check the expiration date. 
• Use full fat sour cream as low fat tends to separate in sauces. Also stir in sour cream at the end and take off the heat immediate to keep the sauce from curdling. 
• Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
• Serve this creamy chicken paprikash with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes. 

Better Chicken and Chickpea Paprikash

Healthier Chicken Paprikash recipe. This lightened up version is made with chicken breasts and chickpeas for extra fibre.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Hungarian

Keyword: chicken paprikash

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 305kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts skinless and boneless, sliced in strips
• 1 red bell pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
• 3 tbsp flour
• 375ml/1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 400ml/14oz canned diced tomatoes
• 400ml/14 oz canned chickpeas drained
• 125ml/1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche full fat
• flat leaf parsley chopped

Instructions

• Cut chicken breast in strips and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large pan sear chicken strips in olive oil until just sealed but not completely cooked, approximately for 5-7 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Add sliced pepper and stir fry over medium-high heat until slightly charred but still crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Reduce the heat to low and add chopped onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.
• Add paprika and flour, stir to combine until you have a red paste.
• Whisk chicken stock in until the paste is completely blended into it. You might want to add ½ cup first and whisk, then the rest of the stock to avoid lumps.
• Add diced tomatoes.
• Return chicken to the pan and add chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes uncover your chicken paprikash, stir in sour cream, add red peppers and take off the heat immediately to avoid sour cream separating.
• Taste and add more salt if necessary.
• Serve sprinkled with chopped flat leaf parsley and steaming rice or noodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 742mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2820IU | Vitamin C: 42.3mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1.8mg