This Moroccan inspired stew is perfect for a week night! While it takes a little bit of chopping to prep the ingredients, the cooking process is as simple as chuck everything into a pot/ pressure cooker and cook until tender. This stew also takes care of protein1, carbs and veg in one shot, making it a complete meal. That being said, it goes best with couscous2, (another quick, one pot wonder), but can also be eaten own its own, or mopped up with some bread.
Flavor-wise, this stew is a delight! Aromatic spices, tart Anar Dana (dried pomegranate seeds), sweet dried apricots and fresh herbs (mint, coriander and dill) combine to create magic. The main spice used in this recipe is Ras el hanout, a spice mix made in Morocco and parts of North Africa. I order mine online from Doyen foods (Linking them here). However, if you are not able to get your hands on any, a decent substitute would be equal parts: ground cumin (jeera), ground cinnamon, coriander seed powder and turmeric powder. A second ingredient that may not be part of your pantry staples is Anar dana (dried pomegranate seeds); but these are easy to find in most Indian grocery stores. Not only do they give the stew a slight tartness, but also a deep red hue!
Recipe: One-pot Chicken & Chickpea Stew
Equipment
- A Pressure Cooker / A Heavy-bottomed Pot with a Lid
Ingredients
- 1½ tbs Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Chopped Garlic
- 1 large Onion [roughly chopped]
- 5 – 6 tsps Chopped Celery
- 3 – 4 medium – sized Tomato [roughly chopped]
- Salt [to taste]
- ⅓ tsp Black Pepper [freshly crushed]
- 1 tsp Ras el hanout Spice Mix [Alternate: a mix of ¼ tsp cumin powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp cinnamon and ¼ coriander powder]
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 10 Kesar (Saffron) Strands
- 2 Carrots [cut into 2-inch-long pieces]
- 1 cup Bell Peppers [cut into strips]
- 12 French Beans[cut into 2-inch-long pieces] [cut into 2-inch-long pieces]
- 500 gms Chicken [cut into bite size pieces]
- 1 cup cooked / canned Chickpeas
- 3 cups Water [recently boiled]
- 6 Apricots [cut into strips]
- 3 tsps Anar Dana (Dried Pomegranate Seeds)
- ½ cup Fresh Mint Leaves [roughly chopped]
- ¼ cup Fresh Dill Leaves [roughly chopped]
- 4tsps tsps Lime Juice
- 2 tsps Coriander / Cilantro Leaves [roughly chopped]
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pressure cooker / a heavy bottomed pot and add chopped garlic. Sauté for about a minute.
- Add the onions, celery and salt to the pot; sauté until the onions begin to go translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, stir and cover with a lid. Allow the tomatoes to cook on low heat until they soften. Here's what it should look like when the tomatoes have cooked through:
- Its now time to add the ground spices! First, a tsp of Ras el hanout, follwed by a quarter tsp of freshly ground pepper and finally a tsp of paprika. Sauté until well combined.
- Next add10 stands of saffron and stir.
- Add the chopped veggies (beans, carrots & peppers) and sauté for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Next, add the chicken and stir gently till well combined.
- Add the boiled chickpeas and 3 cups of warm water.
- Its now time to add the big flavours: apricots, pomegranate seeds, mint and dill.
- Finally, add 4 tsps of lime juice and pressure cook for 1 whistle OR cook with a lid on until the chicken and veggies are tender.
- Top with fresh coriander leaves, stir and serve hot! (Preferably over couscous)
Notes:
1You can definitely skip the chicken in this recipe to make a vegetarian (and vegan!) version. Its just as good!
2Couscous is a popular North African dish usually served as the accompaniment to stews or mixed in with herby salads. Its essentially tiny granules made from durum wheat, that are steamed until soft and fluffy. Think of the dish as an alternative to rice. Traditionally, couscous was hand-made by tossing semolina with moistened wheat flour and rolling it into little granules; however, today’s store-bought couscous is machine processed. What makes it great? Well, in addition to its ability to absorb stews and flavors really well, couscous is ridiculously easy to cook: Stir a little salt (to taste), and a tsp of olive oil into the dry couscous; next, add an equal proportion of hot water and cover. Allow the couscous to steam for 7 – 8 mins. Remove the lid and fluff up the steamed couscous with a fork, and you’re done! Its that simple. No stove-top cooking necessary! You can also add mix-ins like chopped herbs, toasted nuts and fresh pomegranate seeds for added flavor, but none of these are essential. Watch this video on How to Make Fluffy Couscous!
I hope you’ll give this one-pot stew and couscous a shot the next time you are looking for a comforting meal in a bowl. Let me know how it goes in the comments below and tag @allaboutthattasteinsta if you happen to post a pic on the gram! 🖖
