A quick and easy midweek meal, which is economical too. This easy chicken, chickpea and red pepper casserole is tasty and nutritious to boot which has to be a win win.
Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs
It seems the price of chicken seems to keep going up and up, so it is a good idea to make use of the cheaper cuts.
When it comes to family meals I can be feeding up to 4 hungry adults which means that while I am always looking to cut down the cost of a family meal without sacrificing flavour or quality.
Often the best value is to buy a whole chicken and portion it yourself, and while I often do that at the weekends, for mid-week that's a bit of a faff.
So for this chicken casserole, I have used boneless skinless chicken thighs which gives convenience without the high price tag that chicken breast often has.
The great thing is that for this casserole I find the thighs actually have the best flavour so I am saving money without compromising on taste.
To make the dish even more economical I have added chickpeas which are a good source of protein and fibre. Without the chickpeas, I would have probably used 8 chicken thighs for 4 people but in this case, I have used just 6.
I find this casserole a pretty filling meal in itself and would happily eat it on its own as it is. Mr B and my lads do like their carbs so they like to add rice or mashed potatoes as an accompaniment. You could also serve a green vegetable alongside if you like.
Will chicken, chickpea and red pepper casserole freeze?
Yes its a great dish for the freezer, so if there are only a couple of us I freeze half for later. I sometimes even double up in one of my big pans to save cooking from scratch another time. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure you reheat until piping hot.
Step By Step Chicken, Chickpea and Red Pepper Casserole
Fry the onions until softened. stir in the garlic. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole. Brown the chicken then transfer to the casserole Stir the Paprika into the pan. Add the tomatoes. Stir in Chick peas and stock. Pile the peppers on top of the chicken in the casserole dish. Pour the hot tomato and chick pea mixture into the casserole. Cover and cook Serve and enjoy.
Chicken, Chickpea and Red Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs skinned and boned
- 1 – 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 red pepper seeded and sliced
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
- 150 ml chicken stock
- 400 g can chickpeas
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Cut 6 chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and prepare the remaining ingredients as described in the ingredients list
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the sliced onion over a low heat for about 5 minutes until softened and just beginning to colour. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for a minute or two then using a draining spoon transfer to an ovenproof casserole.
- Brown the chicken on all sides in one or two batches adding a little more oil if required. Transfer to the casserole.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon paprika into the pan and stir then stir in 1 can choppedtomatoes,150ml (¼pt) stock and c1 can of chickpeas that have been rinsd and drained. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil.
- Pile the peppers on top of the chicken, then pour over the hot tomato and chickpea mixture. Cover with a lid. Cook in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Sheeba says
Interesting protein-packed combination of chicken and chickpeas! Love it!
All your recipes look delicious. I'm subscibing!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I'm so please you like my recipe and hop[e you enjoy getting the regular updates as a subscriber.
Meryl Z says
Nice sounding recipe, trying it tonight, but just wondered when the carrots are meant to go in?"
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Oh dear I'm not sure what happened here. The carrots are a mystery ingredient lol, they should have been deleted from the ingredient list. So sorry I have corrected the recipe now. I hope you enjopy the dish do let me know what you think. If you have carrots and want to add them they could be added with the onions but I dont think it need them.
Meryl Z says
No problem....we had the carrots as a veg ...lol. It was lovely, I served it with a dollop of natural yogurt on the top, a cheesy root veg mash, carrots and broccoli.
Thank you for the recipe
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
Love the flavours in this dish - chicken thighs always get my vote!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Cat - Yes Chicken thighs are great for casseroles I think they have more flavour.
jenny walters says
What a great tasty mid week meal. I love meals like this at the moment. All your needs in one pot. Thank you for sharing it with#CookBlogShare
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
thanks Jenny I agree its a great meal for this time of the year not to heavy but still pretty hearty for colder days
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
The weather is only now starting to get very slightly warmer but I still like the sound of stews and casseroles. This one sounds delicious!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Exactly this is not as full on heavy as a rich stew but filling enough for cooler days.
Corina Blum says
It sounds absolutely delicious and a great midweek meal option. I also love those boneless skinless chicken thighs as they are great for any kind of stew!
Monika Dabrowski says
Love easy delicious one-pots such as this dish, pinned!