Hearty and healthy, this chicken and chickpea soup is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner – and may I say perfect for any season. Full of flavor, fiber, and protein – all made in one pot!
This chicken and chickpea soup is as flexible as this indecisive April weather, so it can be enjoyed all year long, regardless of the season. Use what you have, then sit back and relax – all the magic happens in one pot.
Alison Roman, the brain behind this recipe, says: “I love making this soup, but it never turns out the same way twice, which should come as some comfort for you.” So there you go, this chicken and chickpea soup offers both practicality and reassurance.
There’s a lot of room for customization here and there’s minimal prep involved. The ingredient list is rather short and don’t worry if you don’t have some of them on hand, it’s all about adapting and making it work using what you have.
The beauty of this soup is that all you have to do is literally dump all ingredients in the pot and let them cook until tender. When it comes to chopping, it takes less than three minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe calls for shallots, but yellow or red onion will work just fine. If you don’t have chillies, you can use red pepper flakes, and of course you’re free to make any other adjustments you deem necessary.
The one thing that I would advise following to a tee would be the chicken broth. This soup is the sum of its parts and the broth plays a very significant part in the final result. Your chickpeas will be cooked in it and soak in all their flavor, so homemade broth really can’t be beat.
If you’re working with store-bought broth, don’t despair. Here’s Roman’s advice: “f using store-bought chicken broth, it may need a little extra help. Something I often do is simmer sub-par store-bought chicken broth with a chopped onion, a few sprigs of thyme or oregano, a sliced fennel bulb/celery stalk/carrot or something, and season it with salt and pepper. You want whatever broth you’re using, be it store-bought or otherwise, to be as delicious and seasoned as possible.”
But if like me, you’re making your own broth, I have a little tip of my own! Now, this might sound a little bit crazy or unconventional, but stay with me: for this recipe you’ll need leftover chicken – of any kind. How about picking the chicken from your bone broth?
I’ve done it before and that’s something I always do whenever I make homemade bone broth: I scrape the meat off the bone and repurpose it. It’s so much chicken! One thing about me is that I hate wasting food. This soup was made with picked bone broth chicken and it worked perfectly!
I also prefer using dried chickpeas in lieu of canned and I soak them overnight. It’s hardly any extra work but worth it!
Tips, Variations & Serving Ideas
I like having the soup on its own, you get everything in one bowl: fiber, protein, and a deeply flavored broth. But you can easily make it even more nutritious by adding a handful of spinach, kale or any similar greens.
Make a heartier version by stirring in pasta or rice. Spice it up with extra chili flakes. I like adding a generous squeeze of lemon juice before serving. This soup – and most soups for that matter – really benefits from a nice acidic element. And then some shaved parmesan, lots of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. The toppings really tie the whole thing together.
You can also serve with some garlic bread or perhaps alongside a little salad or pita! Lots of options here.
If you make this Chicken and Chickpea Soup, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnightgg (or 2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1 large shallot, quartered lengthwise (red or yellow onion will work, too)
6–8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1–2 chiles (fresh or dried), or a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil, for drizzling
2 cups picked chicken (from roasting a chicken, from a store-bought chicken, from leftover chicken, poached chicken, any chicken)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced, plus the leaves
2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
lemons, halved, for squeezing over
parmesan, grated, for serving
Directions
Bring the chicken broth and 3 cups of water to a simmer (if using canned chickpeas, no need to use water). Add the chickpeas, shallot, garlic, chiles, and a good pour of olive oil. Season with salt and simmer on low until the chickpeas are extremely tender and cooked through, to the point of creaminess. Depending on how old your dried chickpeas are, this can take upwards of two hours, but shouldn’t be more than that. If using canned, let them simmer for about an hour, just to really soften even further and acclimate into the broth.
As the chickpeas cook and simmer, they might need more liquid, so add as necessary. Not all simmers and pots are created equal, so your liquid may be evaporating at a different rate, so make sure to keep an eye on it.
Once the chickpeas are soft and tender, remove the soup from the heat and add celery and chicken. Season with salt and pepper, and chili flake if you want it spicy. No need to keep simmering at this point, the chicken and celery will just warm through (you don’t want to soften the celery or overcook the chicken).
To serve, ladle into a bowl and scatter with celery leaves (parsley is a good substitute here), scallion, and a squeeze of lemon. Add grated parmesan if you want, a grind of black pepper, and drizzle of olive oil to finish.
