Turmeric, cumin, and ginger make this Moroccan-inspired dish wonderfully satisfying.
Ahhh the mighty chickpea. Whether you roast them, chill them, boil them, or blend them, they can be used in almost any dish. One of our favorites is this sweet and savory Lemon Chicken Chickpea Soup. Not only is this dish wildly flavorful, it is full of packed with protein - making this a very filling meal. If you've been looking for a reason to try out the mighty chickpea, there is no better time than now as they are in their prime season in January!
Lemon Chicken Chickpea Soup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 celery rib, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or powdered ginger)
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
2-3 strips of lemon zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup basmati rice
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
Cilantro or parsley for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Coat the chicken pieces with the spices: Whisk the salt, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper together in a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss with the spices to coat.
2. Brown the chicken in olive oil: Heat olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed soup pot on medium high. Add the chicken pieces and brown lightly on all sides, 5-7 minutes total. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté onions, celery, garlic, ginger: Add the chopped onion and celery to the pot. Sauté until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook a minute more.
4. Add chicken, stock, bay leaves, lemon zest strips, then simmer: Add the chicken pieces back to the pot. Add the stock, bay leaves, lemon zest strips. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add rice, chickpeas, lemon juice, simmer: Add the rice, chickpeas, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
6. Add salt pepper to taste: Remove bay leaves and lemon peel strips. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro or parsley to serve.
***Recipe is owned by simplyrecipes.com. Original recipe can be found here.