Hearty Chipotle Chicken Stew with Chickpeas and Kale: A Flavorful & Easy One-Pot Meal
If you’re looking for a meal that’s both comforting and incredibly flavorful, look no further than this chipotle chicken stew. It’s truly a game-changer, loaded with tender chicken, protein-packed chickpeas, and vibrant kale, all swimming in a smoky, spicy chipotle Tabasco sauce. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience that’s surprisingly easy to make and guaranteed to leave you feeling satisfied. Serve it over a bed of fluffy rice, nutritious quinoa, or my absolute favorite – hearty farro – for a complete and wholesome dish.
For the past few weeks, this chipotle chicken stew has been a constant on my dinner rotation – and for good reason! There’s something undeniably captivating about skinless, bone-in chicken, slow-simmered to perfection in a rich, smoky chipotle Tabasco sauce. The sauce forms the heart of this stew, blending beautifully with savory onions, aromatic garlic, and the sweet acidity of diced fire-roasted tomatoes. Then, we add the star power of protein-packed chickpeas, which become wonderfully tender as they absorb all the incredible flavors, and finally, a generous helping of fresh kale, bringing a touch of vibrant green and a wealth of nutrients. Just look at those colors together – a true feast for the eyes before you even take a bite!
The story behind this particular recipe is quite charming. My neighbor and great friend, Fariha, and I have this fantastic tradition where we exchange culinary “gems” – recipes we’ve discovered and fallen in love with. She initially found inspiration for this stew on Foodie Crush. Now, both Fariha and I share a common “affliction”: we simply cannot follow a recipe to the letter. Give us a recipe, and our minds immediately start buzzing with ideas for tweaks and improvements. It’s a delightful habit, really, because it almost always guarantees you’ll end up with a dish perfectly suited to your personal taste. There’s a special kind of satisfaction that comes from making a recipe truly your own.
Fariha made her own adjustments to the original recipe, cooked it up, and absolutely raved about the delicious results. She insisted that I just *had* to try it. My initial reaction was a mix of excitement and skepticism. I was definitely intrigued by the Tabasco part, envisioning that smoky, tangy heat. The chicken, of course, sounded wonderful. But it was the combination of chickpeas and kale that gave me pause. I mean, I genuinely love chickpeas – who doesn’t appreciate a good hummus? And kale and I are perfectly good companions in a smoothie or salad. My hesitation stemmed from wondering how these two would integrate with the bold chicken and Tabasco flavors in a stew. However, Fariha and I have remarkably similar palates, so if she declared it good, I knew it had to be worth a shot. And guess what? I fell head over heels in love. Oh baby, I fell hard for this stew.
Imagine this: succulent, fork-tender bites of chicken, enveloped in a rich, chipotle-infused gravy or sauce. Picture chickpeas, slow-simmered until they’re delightfully soft and creamy, absorbing every nuance of the smoky broth. And then, the tender kale, adding a subtle bitterness that perfectly balances the robust flavors. Now, envision all of that piled generously onto a bed of nutty farro. You scoop up a perfect spoonful – a morsel of chicken, a chickpea or two, and a delicate sprig of kale. Even before it reaches your mouth, you can anticipate the bold, complex aromas. The moment it touches your tongue, it’s a symphony of flavors and textures: moist, tender chicken, an irresistible chipotle Tabasco and stewed tomato sauce that’s so good you could eat it by the spoonful on its own, and the comforting chewiness of the farro. It’s a truly harmonious and deeply satisfying experience.
We kick things off with some of the most fundamental and flavor-building ingredients: onions and garlic. The original recipe, interestingly, only called for onions. But in our household, garlic is practically a required ingredient in any savory dish. It adds a depth of flavor that’s simply irreplaceable. While we adore garlic in our main courses, rest assured, we draw the line at desserts – garlic in sweet treats would be just plain weird on far too many levels!
The original recipe for this chipotle chicken stew was designed to feed six people. However, I found myself scaling it back by half. Even with its claim of serving six, my husband Anees and I discovered that the full batch was enough to last us for about three meals a day for half a week – it really does make a massive amount! So, while my adapted recipe is perfectly portioned for three generous servings, feel absolutely free to double it if you’re feeding a crowd or want plenty of delicious leftovers. It’s very forgiving and scales up beautifully.
Regarding the chicken, the original recipe called for thighs. I’ve experimented with various cuts and found that both 1-inch chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and bone-in chicken breasts work wonderfully in this stew. Personally, I’m not a big fan of dark meat (yes, I know, I’m usually the odd one out among my husband and friends!), so I always opt for chicken breast. But don’t let my preference stop you! If chicken thighs or legs are more to your liking, they would make an excellent substitute and add a richness that many people adore. Just adjust cooking times accordingly.
This recipe utilizes what I like to call the ‘basic stew method,’ a simple yet effective technique for building deep flavor. First, generously season your bone-in chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then, in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, brown the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes. This crucial step not only adds fantastic flavor but also creates those delightful browned bits at the bottom of the pan, which are pure gold for your stew. Don’t worry if some bits stick; we’ll deglaze the pan later to incorporate all that goodness. Once browned, remove the chicken pieces and set them aside on a plate. Next, add a little more oil if needed, and sauté the diced onions and minced garlic together in the same pot for 3-4 minutes until they become tender and translucent, scraping up all those flavorful fond bits as you go.
Once the onions are beautifully translucent and tender, it’s time to build the stew’s incredible flavor base. Add in your can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes – a personal favorite for their smoky depth (my can happened to include hatch chilies, but plain fire-roasted are perfectly fine). Then, introduce the star legumes: the garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, along with the distinctive chipotle-flavored Tabasco sauce. For an extra layer of heat and complexity, I highly recommend adding a tablespoon of sriracha. While the sriracha is completely optional, if you appreciate a little spice in your food, it truly elevates this chipotle chicken stew to a whole new dimension of deliciousness. Season this mixture with a touch of salt and pepper to taste, and then stir in a teaspoon of ground cumin. The cumin is a game-changer here; its earthy warmth really helps to amplify and round out the smoky notes from the chipotle sauce. It’s so good, you’ll wonder how you ever made stew without it.
Now, gently nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the pot, ensuring they are partially submerged in the rich, aromatic liquid. Bring the stew to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow it to simmer peacefully for 25-30 minutes. This simmering time allows the chicken to become incredibly tender and the flavors to meld beautifully. If you’re using 1-inch boneless chicken pieces, your cooking time will be significantly shorter, about 15 minutes. Regardless of the chicken cut, about 15 minutes into the simmer, add in your chopped kale. If you opted for boneless chicken, you can add the kale in right along with the chicken at the start of the simmer since the cooking time is shorter.
For anyone who has a lingering apprehension about kale – I urge you, give it a try in this stew! The way it wilts down and blends into the sauce, absorbing all those fantastic flavors, means you can barely tell it’s there, yet you’re still getting all its incredible nutritional benefits. If you’re still truly hesitant, a great alternative is baby spinach. If using spinach, add it in only during the last 5 minutes of cooking. This ensures it wilts perfectly without becoming overcooked, retaining its fresh flavor and vibrant color.
The beauty of this chipotle chicken stew is that it takes less than an hour of active cooking time, yet it tastes as though you’ve been slow-cooking it patiently all day long. I absolutely adore meals that bestow more credit upon you than you truly deserve! This is the quintessential recipe for gathering friends and family around a warm, inviting table. Serve this incredibly flavorful chipotle chicken, chickpea, and kale stew alongside a crisp, light salad and some crusty bread – perfect for soaking up every last drop of that delectable chipotle sauce. Not only is this meal utterly delicious, but it’s also packed with healthy, super-good-for-you ingredients. Planning and sharing these nutritious and satisfying recipes brings me the greatest joy. It’s truly a wholesome dish that nourishes both body and soul.
Chipotle Chicken Stew with Chickpeas and Kale
A hearty chipotle chicken stew loaded with chickpeas and kale. This protein packed meal is made with smoky chipotle tabasco sauce, only calls for a few ingredients and is so filling! Serve it over a bed of rice, quinoa, or my favorite – farro.
Ingredients
- 3 bone-in chicken breasts (see notes)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (with or without diced chilies)
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- 2 tablespoons chipotle-flavored Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (use less for less spice)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup kale, chopped
Instructions
- Season the bone-in chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and allow to cook on each side for 5-7 minutes until browned. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan to a plate, set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and sauté the onions and garlic together for 3-4 minutes until tender and translucent. Add in the fire roasted tomatoes, garbanzo beans, along with the the chipotle tabasco sauce, sriracha, and ground cumin. Bring the stew to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the chicken back into the pot along with the chopped kale and allow to simmer. Serve the stew with white or brown rice, quinoa, or farro.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breasts can be replaced with cubed boneless chicken, chicken thighs, or chicken legs. Replace the chicken breasts with double the number of chicken legs or thighs.
- If using cubed boneless chicken, reduce simmer time by 15 minutes. Add in the kale at the same time as chicken pieces.
- Kale can be replaced with baby spinach. Recipe can be doubled easily.
- Recipe adapted from Foodie Crush.
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