Chicken Chickpea Stew
Quick Chicken and Chickpea Stew Recipe with tomatoes cooked on a stove, in slow cooker or Instant Pot. Plus how to turn into a healthy freezer meal instructions for busy families. So good!
Servings: 8
Calories: 391kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 lbs bell peppers seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 lb boneless & skinless chicken breasts cubed
- Avocado oil
- 28 oz diced Tomatoes
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 2 x 14 oz cans chickpeas rinsed & drained
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth low sodium
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup tahini paste
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley or basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Stovetop: Preheat large dutch oven on low heat, swirl a bit of avocado oil to coat and add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium, add pepper and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add tomatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, broth, salt, pepper and bay leaves; stir, cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Add ingredients in exact order listed: onion, garlic, bell pepper, chicken, quinoa, chickpeas, broth, salt, pepper, bay leaves and tomatoes. DO NOT STIR. Pressure cook on High for 20 minutes and afterwards release pressure with Quick Release method.
- Slow Cooker: Preheat large dutch oven on low heat, swirl a bit of avocado oil to coat and add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium, add pepper and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer to a large slow cooker along with chicken, tomatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, broth, salt, pepper, bay leaves; stir, cover and cook for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low.
- Last Step for All: Turn off heat; add tahini and herbs, stir and let stand for a couple minutes.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer Meal: In a gallon size Ziplock bag, add all ingredients, except water (stock), tahini paste and parsley, finishing with tomatoes on top. Let as much air out as possible, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.
If cooking in Instant Pot, pressure cook on High from frozen with 2 cups of water (stock) for 20 minutes with Quick Release. Add tahini and parsley, stir and serve.
If cooking in slow cooker, you would have to saute onion, garlic and pepper before freezing with other ingredients. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours (food safety thing), then add to a large slow cooker with 2 cups of water (stock), and cook for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low. Add tahini and parsley, stir and serve.
Please note this is large meal, so if you are cooking in anything other than 8 quart Instant Pot (I have one) then freeze in 2 bags or 2 containers. For 8 Quart Instant Pot freeze the bag standing upright, then it fits and lid will close.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
Notes
You might need to add less salt if beans and broth you are using are not low sodium or salt free (for example, my cooked beans are unsalted).