Cumin Chicken and Chickpea Stew
Inspired by techniques from Bon Appétit.
Browned chicken thighs simmer with garlic, cumin and tomato paste until the broth turns deep and savoury, then chickpeas and roasted red peppers go in and the chicken is shredded back into the pot. A finish of olive oil and lemon juice brightens it, and it's ladled over cubes of bread to soak up the broth.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Brown the chicken. Heat half the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with the fine salt, add to the pot and cook, turning once, until browned all over, 8-10 minutes. Lift onto a plate.
- 2
Build the spice base. Turn the heat to low and let the oil cool for about a minute, then add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Stir in the cumin, tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until it forms a smooth paste, about 1 minute.
- 3
Simmer the chicken. Return the chicken and its juices to the pot with the bay leaves and the measured water, scraping up any browned bits from the base. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- 4
Add the chickpeas. Lift the chicken back out onto the plate. Add the chickpeas to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the pot along with the roasted red peppers.
- 5
Finish and serve. Stir in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice and simmer for 1 minute. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if it needs it. Divide the bread cubes among bowls, ladle the stew over the top, and scatter with the parsley.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover stew (without the bread) in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; reheat gently until steaming hot throughout. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
27.2 g protein for 483 kcal = 5.6 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 23% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 4.5 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
- Source of fibre: 2.1 g fibre per 100 kcal (needs ≥ 1.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 191 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- medium pot with a lid
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- two forks (for shredding)
- ladle
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 483 kcal |
| Protein | 27.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 46.4 g |
| of which sugars | 8.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| of which saturates | 3.3 g |
| Fibre | 10.1 g |
| Salt | 2.01 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.6 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
