One-Pot Chicken and Chickpea Stew with Tomato and Spinach
⏱ 5 min prep · 🍳 15 min · 🍽 4
Canned chickpeas and crushed tomatoes turn this into the kind of dinner you can start without deciding anything beyond "chicken tonight." The chicken breast sears fast right in the pot, chickpeas and tomatoes simmer down with cumin until everything softens, and spinach gets stirred in at the very end so it wilts instead of turning to mush.
From cutting board to table it takes about twenty minutes, which makes it the meal to start the moment everyone's through the door from school pickup or after-school care - the weekly meal plan just needs to say "Tuesday: chicken." Set out a basket of crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping; that's usually what decides whether the youngest eats the stew at all.
Ingredients
- 600.000 g kyllingfilet
- 1.000 ss nøytral olje
- 1.000 stk løk, finhakket
- 1.000 ts rød chili, finhakket
- 0.500 ts spisskummenfrø
- 2.000 boks hermetiske tomater med hvitløk
- 1.000 boks hermetiske kikerter
- 250.000 g frisk spinat
- 1.000 ts salt
- 0.500 ts pepper
- 1.000 ts sukker
- 4.000 stk grovt rundstykke
Instructions
Skjær kylling i biter og brun i omganger i en gryte med olje.
Fres finhakket løk, chili og spisskummen et par minutter, legg kylling tilbake.
Tilsett hakkede tomater og avrent kikerter, la surre 5 minutter.
Tilsett spinat og smak til med salt, pepper og eventuelt sukker.
Server med grovbrød.
This is the stew for the nights when the meal plan just says "chicken" and you haven't decided anything else. Chickpeas and canned tomatoes are usually already sitting in the pantry, so the shopping list only needs a fresh onion, a chili, spinach, and the chicken itself. Younger kids who'd rather have plain bread and sauce can dip a dinner roll in the tomato sauce while the chicken and chickpeas wait a while longer on the plate, while older siblings just eat it as is. The pot also holds up fine on low heat if pickup from soccer practice or an after-school club runs late.
FAQ
Can I freeze this chicken and chickpea stew?
Yes, this stew freezes well without the bread on the side. Cool it down quickly and pack it into freezer containers in single portions so you have a fast dinner ready on a busy day - it keeps for about 2-3 months in the freezer. Reheat slowly in a saucepan and stir now and then, since the spinach can turn a bit watery after freezing. Serve with a fresh or thawed dinner roll alongside.
How long do the leftovers keep in the fridge?
Leftovers keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave until the stew is heated all the way through, and stir in a splash of water or a bit more canned tomato if it's thickened up while sitting. Avoid reheating it more than once, since it's built around chicken.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well and often turn out even more tender in this style of stew, since they can handle a longer simmer without drying out. Cut them into pieces the same size as you would the breast and follow the same method. Plan on a couple of extra minutes of browning time, since thighs have more connective tissue.
My kid doesn't like whole chickpeas - what can I do?
Blend half the chickpeas together with the canned tomatoes using an immersion blender before adding them to the pot, so you get a thicker, smoother sauce without leaving the chickpeas out entirely. Alternatively, serve younger kids the sauce and chicken with extra bread on the side, and save the whole chickpeas for the older kids' plates. Most children come around to whole chickpeas after a few rounds once they're simmered fully soft.
Can I swap the spinach for a different green?
Yes, kale or Swiss chard both work well in place of spinach, but give them a couple of extra minutes in the pot before serving since both are a bit sturdier than spinach. Frozen spinach also works fine - just squeeze out as much water as you can before adding it, or the sauce will end up thinner than planned.
Can I prep any of this the day before to save time?
Finely chop the onion and chili the night before and keep them covered in the fridge, and cut the chicken into pieces at the same time if you have the space. Canned goods need no prep at all. With that done, the actual cooking takes well under fifteen minutes once you're home.