Chickpea Chicken Soup

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth, or water

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

2 cans (14 oz.) chickpeas, strained and rinsed

1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Lemon wedges, to serve

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil on medium-high heat, then add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender.

Add the diced red bell pepper and garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until tender. Add the paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, break up any large tomato chunks with a wooden spoon, and stir to coat the vegetable mixture.

Pour in chicken broth, stirring to combine with the vegetables, then add raw chicken breasts to the pot, gently submerging them in broth.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through completely.

Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and place them on a cutting board, while continuing to cook the soup on a simmer. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

Return the shredded chicken to the pot, along with the chickpeas, chopped spinach, and lemon juice, and give everything a good stir. Cook the soup on a low simmer for a final 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. If you find the soup too thick for your liking, just thin it with a bit more broth or water.

The finished soup can be served immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

• Calories: 368
• Total Fat: 10 g
• Total Carbohydrate: 46 g
• Dietary Fiber: 12 g
• Total Sugars: 12 g
• Protein: 26 g