Mediterranean Chickpea and Chicken Soup

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Let me keep this simple — Mediterranean chickpea and chicken soup is everything you want in a homemade weeknight soup. Chicken thighs make for a richly-flavored broth; canned chickpeas keep the cooking time to a minimum; and tangy tomatoes and warm spices bring the whole pot together. There’s a bit of soothing chopping to get things started, and then the whole pot simmers on the stove and perfumes your whole house as it cooks.

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion
1 large yellow, red, or orange bell pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (32-ounce) box low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups)

Instructions

Prepare the following, placing them together in a medium bowl: Dice 1 large yellow onion and 1 large bell pepper, and mince 4 garlic cloves. Combine 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl. Drain and rinse 2 cans chickpeas.
Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all over with the spice mixture.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot and add the chicken to the other side. Add 1 box chicken broth and the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and simmer, reducing the heat as needed, until the chicken and chickpeas are tender, 22 to 25 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board. Add 1 can diced tomatoes and their juices and 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the soup and stir to combine well. Use a fork to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes more.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add 5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups) and stir until the spinach is wilted. Serve immediately.