Provençal Chicken Stew

Chicken with chickpeas and tender wilted spinach, finished with olive-oil fried breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 pounds spinach
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Pinch red chile flakes (optional)

Steps

1. Drain the chickpeas. If you made them yourself, reserve the cooking liquid; if they’re canned, discard it and rinse the chickpeas. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the breadcrumbs, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until they’re crisp and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the chicken, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the remaining salt, and cook until the breasts are well browned and release easily from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side the same way. Remove them from the pan.

3. Add the garlic to the drippings in the pan and turn the heat back down to medium. Stir, then start adding the spinach a handful at a time; keep stirring until all the spinach fits in the pan and starts to release its water; sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Then add the stock, the chickpeas, and the red chile flakes if you’re using them. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then return the chicken to the pan. Cover and cook just long enough for the chicken to cook through, 1 or 2 minutes more.

4. Taste the spinach and adjust the seasoning. Slice the chicken crosswise against the grain to any thickness you like. Divide the spinach and broth among bowls, put some chicken on top, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over all, and serve.

Variations

Tuscan Chicken Stew: The title here says it all: Swap sliced zucchini (or summer squash) for the spinach and cannellini beans for the chickpeas. In Step 3, you’ll need to cook the vegetables longer before returning the chicken to the pot; figure 5 to 10 minutes more.

More Ideas

• If you’ve got homemade chickpeas (and their precious cooking liquid), then substitute the cooked liquid for some or all of the stock.
• Season the breadcrumbs with chopped fresh parsley or basil.

Source: The VB6 Cookbook, Mark Bittman