• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • About Sam
    • FAQ's about veganism
    • Press
    • Contact
      • Reader Inquiries
      • Business Inquiries
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Video
  • Start Here

It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes
  • Start Here
    • Tips to Use This Site
    • Press
    • Contact me
    • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Recipes
    • Start Here
      • Tips to Use This Site
      • Press
      • Contact me
      • FAQ About Veganism
  • Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    April 1, 2020 26 Comments

    Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew

    2.0K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    I've got another recipe for you that's made using pantry staples: Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew! The chickpeas are cooked in a smoky spicy tomato sauce that is to die for scrumptious. Don't be fooled by how simple this dish looks and how easy it is to make, these stewed chickpeas are deliciously complex in flavour.

    Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew! Super quick and easy to make, but don't be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe, it's bursting with complex flavours. It gets even better the next day so it's a perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #pantryrecipe

    Smoky spicy chickpea stew is fantastic freshly made, but it's one of those kinds of dishes that gets even better the next day. Perfect for a make-ahead meal.

    I called this dish a stew because it's hearty and saucy all at the same time. But I like to serve it on a bed of cooked grain just like a curry would be served. So maybe stew isn't the correct word? Maybe it is? Either way, it's delicious and that's all I care about!

    Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew! Super quick and easy to make, but don't be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe, it's bursting with complex flavours. It gets even better the next day so it's a perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #pantryrecipe

    Now I know everyone has different ingredients on hand, and different dietary requirements, so be sure to check the notes in the recipe for substitutions.

    To make smoky spicy chickpea stew:

    Prepare the simple smoky and spicy tomato sauce.

    Heat the oil in a large pot or high-sided skillet. When hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown.

    Stir in the tomatoes, smoked paprika, crushed chili flakes (I used 1 teaspoon), dried thyme, sugar, and salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 10 - 15 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked and darkened in colour.

    Add the kale and chickpeas to the stew.

    Mix in the chickpeas and kale and cook another few minutes until heated through and the kale wilts into the sauce.

    Fun fact: my dog is named Chickpea and she has her own Instagram account now @chickpeadog

    Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew! Super quick and easy to make, but don't be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe, it's bursting with complex flavours. It gets even better the next day so it's a perfect make-ahead meal. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #pantryrecipe

    Serve hot over a cooked grain of choice.

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    4.85 from 20 votes

    Smoky Spicy Chickpea Stew

    Super quick and easy to make, but don't be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe, it's bursting with complex flavours. It gets even better the next day so it's a perfect make-ahead meal.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian, Moroccan
    ingredient tag: beans, chickpeas, tomatoes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion, chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
    • 1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
    • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ - 1 ½ teaspoon crushed chili flakes (depending on spice preference)
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon brown or white sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 1 can (19oz) chickpeas (2 cups), drained and rinsed
    • 2 large handfuls chopped kale or spinach (about 4 cups)
    • cooked rice, quinoa, or couscous, for serving
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a large pot or high-sided skillet. When hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion turns transluecent and begins to brown.
    • Stir in the tomatoes, smoked paprika, crushed chili flakes (I used 1 teaspoon), dried thyme, sugar, and salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 10 - 15 minutes until the tomates have cooked and darkend in colour.
    • Mix in the chickpeas and kale and cook another few minutes until heated through and the kale wilts into the sauce. Serve hot over cooked grain of choice.

    Notes

    Oil-free: skip the olive oil and do a water or broth sauté instead.
    Gluten-free: use a gluten-free grain such as rice or quinoa (not cous cous).
    Chickpeas: can be substituted with an equal amount of another type of bean. 
    Spicy: if you do not like spice you may omit the crushed chili flakes. If you do like spice you can use ¼ teaspoon to 1 ½ teaspoons crushed chili flakes depending on your spice preference. (I used 1 teaspoon).
    Smoked Paprika: If you do not have smoked paprika on hand you can use regular paprika and a few dashes of liquid smoke.
    Make-ahead: this recipe tastes even better the next day. Store the cooled stew in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving without grain (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 1027mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 7576IU | Vitamin C: 103mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 6mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken
    « 51 Easy Vegan Pantry Recipes
    Brown Sugar & Mustard Glazed Tofu »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Red says

      November 03, 2022 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful recipe. Excellent

      Reply
    2. Denette says

      June 24, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      Super simple and quick to put together. I left out the oil and instead of sugar added a few shakes of cinnamon. For some reason it cuts the sharpness and yet doesn't taste like cinnamon. I added a can of corn, just because. It is easily adaptable to tweaks for what you like and what you have on hand.

      Reply
    3. Chloe Anastasiadis says

      January 07, 2021 at 8:26 pm

      4 stars
      This was such an easy yet flavourful meal. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
    4. Jessica Martens says

      September 29, 2020 at 11:09 pm

      5 stars
      Since discovering this recipe I’ve probably been making it like once a week and I’m obsessed. One of the easiest and most delicious meals ever!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 01, 2020 at 11:46 am

        Aww that's wonderful, Jessica! So happy you love it 🙂

        Reply
    5. Aimee B. says

      June 22, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      4 stars
      This was good. I had to adapt based on what I had on hand, but nothing drastic. I used two smaller cans of chickpeas and some frozen spinach. I omitted the salt & oil (for health reasons, but honestly, it really didn't need them anyway), and subbed chili powder for the chili flakes. I think I used about 1/2 tablespoon as we don't care for very spicy things. I also added 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and some Italian seasoning. My tomatoes were Italian as well. I liked that it was quick to put together. The flavors were pretty mild, too, which I appreciated. Sometimes simple is best. I think next time I might add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

      Reply
    6. Beata says

      June 14, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      5 stars
      Made it last night for my boyfriend and I. We are not vegans or even vegetarians, but we do try to eat largely plant based and eat many completely vegan meals. I have made quite a few recipes from your website and bought 2 copies of your cookbook (1 for me, 1 for my boyfriend's sister and her husband who are both vegan) so that a great vegan recipe is always close by!

      Did not have kale or spinach, so I subbed a can of green beans instead. Used dried chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked fresh for the recipe. Used a purple onion too, as that's what we had on hand. Served over konjac rice to cut down on carbs. HOLY COW YUMMY!!!

      I do agree with another reviewer that as written, the nutritional facts seem awfully high in carbs if not including the grains or if the info is only for 1 serving... Just something for you to look at?

      Having said that, I will totally make this recipe again. It was absolutely out of this world delicious. Loved the smoky spiciness and the crushed red pepper flakes are just perfect for this recipe. BTW, the green beans worked very well in this recipe!

      I also want to mention that it feels great to feel comfortably stuffed after eating a vegan meal, only to find out that the stuffiness goes away quickly and we never get that "I GOTTA unbutton my pants after eating" feeling when enjoying vegan meals.

      Once again - thank you Sam!!! I'll be back for sure. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 24, 2020 at 3:29 pm

        So happy you love it! You're right the nutrition info was off and I have updated it 🙂

        Reply
    7. JoJo says

      May 07, 2020 at 5:44 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night and was delicious. Quick, healthy, nourishing, comforting.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 13, 2020 at 3:26 pm

        Amazing! So happy you loved it, JoJo 🙂

        Reply
    8. Steve Arbo says

      April 30, 2020 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      I saw in my pantry the other day that I had six cans of chickpeas so I decided I need to start using them and made this recipe last night. DELICIOUS! I had it with some pearl couscous. My teenage daughter came in after I cooked it and said "Wow! Something smells good!" and I convinced her to taste it. She ate two more spoonfuls and asked if there would be some left for her when she got home later. During my company's work-from-home time these days, we do a fun thing every day. Today is "post a picture of what you ate" day. I am definitely submitting my picture of this dish! Thanks Sam! Love your videos and recipes!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 06, 2020 at 4:18 pm

        Wonderful!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Steve 🙂

        Reply
    9. Nala Yanda says

      April 27, 2020 at 12:32 am

      You’re so lovely and love, I love what I see. I’m exploring in my kitchen because you happened in my beautiful life. Stay beautiful and exquisite!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 06, 2020 at 5:45 pm

        Aww thank you!

        Reply
    10. Dave Big Chief says

      April 24, 2020 at 11:19 am

      4 stars
      I used a pressure cooker to rehydrate the chickpeas in mushroom stock (50mins on high with quick release)... then at the end of your steps I added a cup of the mushroom stock and slow roasted it at 150C for 1 hr in a Le Creuset with the lid on.... unbeleavable.

      Reply
    11. Sue says

      April 11, 2020 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe!!! Thanks Sam.❤️

      Reply
    12. chrissy says

      April 03, 2020 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight - so easy, so delicious!
      I left out the oil, a dash of liquid smoke, and used smoked paprika salt instead of regular salt. I love smoky and spicy! I love your recipes Sam, thank you.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 09, 2020 at 5:07 pm

        You're most welcome, Chrissy 🙂

        Reply
    13. Sharon says

      April 02, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      It is a fantastic dish and the flavours meld together even more the next day as you mentioned. Have you tried freezing it?

      Reply
      • Judith Arayaes says

        April 03, 2020 at 5:23 am

        5 stars
        First of all,Congratulations on the veggie award win, I voted for you,100% deserved it.
        I know this recipe will be amazing!
        Be safe!

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          April 03, 2020 at 1:17 pm

          Aww thank you so much, Judith!! 🙂

      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 03, 2020 at 1:15 pm

        So happy you loved it, Sharon! I haven't but both tomato sauces and chickpeas freeze well so I imagine it should freeze beautifully 🙂

        Reply
    14. Zach says

      April 01, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      This looks fantastic. I think I am going to try and make it this weekend. Are you sure about the nutritional information though? The numbers look really high if they don't include the grain and I am not sure what could be making it that high unless it's supposed to be two cans of chickpeas instead of one?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 24, 2020 at 3:30 pm

        Apologies for that, the nutrition info has been updated 🙂

        Reply
    15. Mel says

      April 01, 2020 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      This looks excellent! Can't wait to make it. I love chickpeas. And your dog is adorable too!!!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 03, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Aww thanks Mel!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Sam Turnbull

    Hi Friends!

    I'm Sam. Bestselling cookbook author and full-time vegan recipe creator! I LOVE vegan food, but it didn't start that way. As someone who comes from a family of hunters, butchers, and chefs I'm the last person I thought would go vegan. Here's My Story →

    Join over 500,000 followers

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Amazon.com • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Nobel • Indigo • Kobo • Book Depository

    Footer

    Stay Connected

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!

    Affiliate Link Disclosure

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    COPYRIGHT

    I love when you share! All of the images and text on this site is the property of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. Feel free to share photos and quotes with a link back to my original post. Do not share entire recipes, large bodies of text, or edit my photos in anyway without first obtaining permission from me. Social media shares are always welcome. Thank you!


    AFFILIATE LINK DISCLOSURE

    On this site, I sometimes use affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken would receive a small cut, at no cost to you.

    Privacy Policy | Contact | About | Sponsor Newsletter

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 - IT DOESN'T TASTE LIKE CHICKEN