The Best Chickpea Stew Recipe

This Easy Chickpea Stew is simple to make and filled with warm spices and satisfying chickpeas. The best part is that it’s perfect for meal prepping! Plus, it can be made in just one pot which makes clean-up a breeze. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You only need simple ingredients to make this recipe and all of them are budget-friendly so you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money at the grocery store. 
• The flavorful spices give this dish an amazing aroma that will fill your kitchen and make it feel like a cozy home.
• This is adaptable for vegetarians by leaving out the chicken. Both Vegetarians and meat-eaters will be fully satisfied.
• It’s a comforting dish that your whole family will love and it’s perfect for a chilly day when you need something filling. 
• Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber (WebMd).
• This skillet meal comes together quickly!

Ingredients Needed

This recipe requires a few ingredients most of these ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry which means that you may not need to make a trip to the grocery store.   Here is a list of what you will need:

• boneless skinless chicken breasts (optional)- leave out for a complete vegetarian dish or cook and mix in just for meat-eaters.
• olive oil or grape seed oil
• large onion
• carrots
• fresh garlic
• garbanzo beans – chickpeas
• tomato puree
• molasses
• salt
• unsweetened chocolate – this adds a rich delicious flavor. Don’t leave this out.
• garam masala – a mix of warm spices. This can be found in most grocery stores in the spice aisle.

How to Make Chickpea Stew

Making this tasty stew is so easy. Just follow step-by-step instructions here or in the recipe card at the bottom of the post and you will have a new favorite meal that your friends and family will rave about in no time at all. 

Step 1: Brown the chicken.

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove the chicken and set aside. Clean skillet if you are also serving vegetarian guests.

Step 2: Sauté the vegetables.

Reheat the pan and add an additional teaspoon of oil. Add onions, carrots, and garlic to the hot skillet. Sauté until vegetables are crisp and tender. 

Step 3: Add all the remaining ingredients except the chicken.

Add garbanzo beans, tomato, molasses, and salt to the skillet. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in garam masala and chocolate until combined.

Step 4: Add the chicken and finish

Remove a portion to serve vegetarian guests. Add chicken to skillet, and let flavors combine until chicken is warmed (approximately 5 minutes). Serve with couscous or quinoa.

What To Serve With This Dish

This hearty chicken stew is delicious when served on its own, but I like to pair it with a simple side dish of crusty bread or this Cheesy Cheddar Pull Apart Bread.  And, if you are like and want to end your meal with a sweet treat that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth give this Easy Pumpkin Layered Dessert recipe. 

Substitutions and Additions

Here are a few tried and true that you can use to help you customize this vegetable stew to suit your taste buds.  Feel free to great creative and make this recipe your own. 

• If you want to turn this into a meatless meal you can leave out the chicken and add in more vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, collard greens, swiss chard, or even a chopped red bell pepper.
• For a touch of heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to this hearty stew. 
• You can reheat this stew on the stovetop or in the microwave, if it is thicker than you would like add a splash of vegetable broth of vegetable broth to thin it. 
•  If you want a richer, creamier stew add a cup of coconut milk at the end and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• For an even more flavorful stew, you can add ground cumin, fennel seeds, or bay leaves to increase the flavor.  

How To Store

One great thing about this delicious stew is that it tastes better the next day. So, feel free to make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure that store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. 

Sandra’s Pro Tips

Here are a few tried and true tips to help ensure that this hearty recipe turns out perfectly for you every time that you make it. 

• I like to use a white onion or yellow onion when making this rich stew recipe. 
• Also, if you prefer less spice feel free to decrease the amount of garam masala.
• This dish is a complete meal on its own, but you can serve it on top of a bowl of quinoa, rice, or couscous. 
• I used a fresh garlic clove, if you don’t have it on hand you can use a tablespoon of the jarred minced garlic instead. 
• Fresh parsley or fresh basil make a great garnish for the top of this comfort food meal. 

FAQs

Do you have questions about this homemade stew recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe. 

Other Delicious Soup and Stew Recipes You May Enjoy

• Beef Guinness Stew
• Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
• Chili Con Carne and Vegetables

I do have a FEW vegetarian recipes on my blog;  Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk, Sweet Potato Veggie Burger (do you see a trend of my love for sweet potatoes?). I also have several egg dishes and a delicious Quinoa Granola, but that’s clearly not enough!

This Chickpea Stew Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens