Chickpea Chicken Soup

 Made in one pot, this chickpea chicken soup is everything you want in a weeknight dinner. It’s high in protein and full of veggies while being quick and easy to make. Plus, it’s a great way to turn leftover chicken into a delicious and nutritious meal.

I don’t know about you, but I love a hearty soup. In my opinion, the best soup is chunky, flavorful, and filling, and that’s exactly what this chickpea chicken soup is.

The combination of chicken, chickpeas, and veggies, ensures that this Mediterranean-inspired chicken and chickpea soup is a well-balanced meal complete with protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. And the best part is, it keeps well in the fridge and freezer so you can make a double batch and enjoy this delicious soup for days and weeks to come.

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Chicken – To add some protein. The recipe calls for raw chicken breasts, however, you can use cooked chicken thighs, leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken if preferred, see the notes section of the recipe for details.
• Chickpeas – To add some plant-based protein and fiber. The recipe calls for canned chickpeas, but you can use dried chickpeas if preferred, see the notes section of the recipe for details. If you’re not a fan of chickpeas white beans, such as cannellini beans, would also work well.
• Onion and Garlic – To create the base of the soup, add flavor, and fragrance.
• Carrots and Celery – To add some vegetables to the soup.
• Bell Pepper – To add some more veggies, color, and texture.
• Tomatoes – A mixture of diced canned tomatoes and tomato paste to thicken the soup. You can use fresh tomatoes if desired, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Spinach – To add some leafy greens. You can use kale or collard greens if preferred.
• Herbs and Spices – A mixture of dried oregano, paprika, and red pepper flakes to add some Mediterranean seasoning to the soup, and some fresh parsley to serve.
• Broth – You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth. Chicken stock, vegetable broth, or water will also work.
• Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats and cook the vegetables.
• Lemon – To balance the flavors.
• Salt and Pepper – To season the soup.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the chickpea chicken soup to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled chicken and chicken soup to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To make grab-and-go meals and reheating easier, you can freeze the soup in individual portion-sized containers.

To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge and then place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the soup in the microwave, place thawed soup in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed depending on the strength of your microwave.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth, or water
• 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 2 cans (14 oz.) chickpeas, strained and rinsed
• 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
• Lemon wedges, to serve

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Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil on medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender.
2. Add the diced red bell pepper and garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until tender. Add the paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, break up any large tomato chunks with a wooden spoon, and stir to coat the vegetable mixture.
4. Pour in chicken broth, stirring to combine with the vegetables, then add raw chicken breasts to the pot, gently submerging them in broth.
5. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through completely.
6. Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board, while continuing to cook the soup on a simmer. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
7. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, along with the chickpeas, chopped spinach, and lemon juice, and give everything a good stir. Cook the soup on a low simmer for a final 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
8. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. If you find the soup too thick for your liking, just thin it with a bit more broth or water.
9. The finished soup can be served immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To Make it in a Slow Cooker: Add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker, except the chickpeas, spinach, and lemon juice, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the slow cooker, place it on a cutting board, and shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, along the with strained and rinsed chickpeas, chopped spinach, and lemon juice, give everything a good stir, and cook on high for a final 15-20 minutes until the chickpeas are warm and the spinach is wilted.

To Use Skinless Chicken Thighs: Swap the chicken breasts for 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Before step #1, place the chicken thighs on a cutting board and season both sides with salt and pepper. Warm the olive oil in the pot on medium-high heat, then add the chicken thighs and cook them for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned, then transfer them to a plate. Then proceed with the instructions as outlined, beginning with step #1, and return the chicken thighs to the pot as per step #4 in place of the chicken breasts. Once cooked, chop them into small pieces, instead of shredding them, as per step #6, then return them to the pot as per step #7.

To Use Leftover Chicken: Instead of adding the chicken breasts in step #4 and shredding them in step #6, simply add 4 cups of shredded chicken along with the chickpeas and spinach in step #7.

To Use Dried Chickpeas:  Add 1 1/2 cups of dry chickpeas to a large bowl, cover with room temperature water, and soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Once soaked, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the soaked chickpeas, and cook them for 40 minutes to 1 hour until tender. Once cooked, strain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the soup as per step #7.

To Use Fresh Tomatoes: Swap the canned crushed tomatoes for 4 ripe tomatoes,

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 368 calories
• Sugar: 12 grams
• Fat: 10 grams
• Carbohydrates: 46 grams
• Fiber: 12 grams
• Protein: 26 grams

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