This chickpea stew owes its speed and deliciousness to chorizo. It injects a stack of flavour into the thick sauce, and biting into glorious chunks of golden brown chorizo will probably be the best thing that happens to you today. Let’s put chorizo in everything!!
A quick-to-make chorizo chickpea stew
I know you ordinarily associate the word “stew” with hours of slow cooking. But in today’s dish, it’s a 15 minute simmer and the end result is something that resembles a stew to me. So although we’ve made it in a fraction of the time, I’m sticking with the name!
Despite the speed, you will not feel robbed of flavour by any stretch of the imagination thanks to chorizo, the powerful little flavour packed Spanish sausages that are the hero of today’s dish. (Sorry chickpeas, but it’s true).
We sauté chorizo slices until golden brown before braising in a tomato-based stew sauce for a mere 15 minutes to infuse the sauce with chorizo flavour. Chickpeas add bulk and texture to the dish, and I love how they too absorb the chorizo flavour!
What you need
Here’s what you need for this chorizo chickpea stew:
Chorizo – The well seasoned cured sausage from Spain is the hero of the dish today (sorry chickpeas!). You get great bang for your buck with chorizo – so much flavour packed into a little sausage. Find them at the deli or in the cured meats section of the fridge.
Alternatives – Any smoked sausage (like kranskey’s, German sausages etc).
Tip – Get extra and make everybody’s favourite smoked sausage and rice, or a big paella!
Chickpeas – We’re just going canned today, for convenience, for this quick ‘n easy meal. Just crack open that can!
Crushed tomato – This is already kind of smushed so it breaks down more easily into a thick sauce compared to, say, diced tomato which has larger chunks. Diced tomato will work too though, you just may want to simmer for a bit longer to let them break down a bit. If you only have whole canned tomato, crush them with your hands or use a potato masher before putting the pot.
Chicken stock/broth – I like to use low sodium so I can control the salt in this. We do get quite a bit of salt from the chorizo so it really is better to use low-salt stock.
Vegetable stock also works, but chicken stock does give the stew sauce deeper flavour.
Bay leaf, thyme and smoked paprika – Herb and spice flavours for the sauce. Sautéed with the chorizo to bring out toasty flavour before adding the liquids. Great trick to get more flavour into your dishes – toast those herbs and spices!
Garlic – This dish was never going to happen without garlic!
How to make chorizo chickpea stew
Stew-like results with stir-fry speed! OK, fine, that’s a wee bit of an exaggeration. It takes longer than a stir-fry. 😂 But it’s MUCH faster than traditional stews!!!
Sauté the chorizo until golden. Toast the spices for 1 minute. Tip in the chickpeas and tomato then simmer for 15 minutes. Stew. Done!
Sauté chorizo slices in a little oil until beautifully golden and caramelised. Don’t be tempted to shortcut this step! The chorizo tastes so much better when it’s browned, plus we want to coax the tasty highly flavourful oil out of the chorizo so it can flavour everything else in this dish!
Sauté herbs & spices – Once the chorizo is golden, add the bay leaf, thyme and paprika. Toast it for a minute, inhaling deeply to enjoy the smell! It really is so good. (Oh, and we toast the herbs and spices to bring extra flavour out of them. Not just so we can enjoy the smell! 😂).
Add everything else – Add the chickpeas, tomato, chicken stock, salt and pepper, then give it all a good stir.
Simmer for 15 minutes with the lid off until the sauce thickens. Then that’s it! Ready to serve. 🙂
Serve with crusty bread for dunking, for a quick ‘n easy meal (suggestion: everybody’s favourite no-knead Crusty Artisan Bread), or flatbreads for scooping.
Alternatively, serve it over a starchy vehicle of choice, such as mashed potato (mashed cauliflower for a low-carb option), couscous or small pasta (like orzo/risoni, orecchiette, small macaroni).
For a quick salad or vegetable side, use whatever greens you have in the fridge, raw or steamed, and toss with my Everyday Salad Dressing. Or browse all vegetable sides to find something that inspires!
Dinner. Done. How fast was that??? And just wait until you taste it! You are going to be amazed how much flavour is packed into that pot of stewy deliciousness for such an easy dish.
Such is the miracle of chorizo. So much power packed into one little sausage.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chorizo chickpea stew (fast)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 250g / 8 oz chorizo (2 pieces) , cut into 8mm / 1/3″ slices (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub normal paprika)
- 1 bay leaf , preferably fresh, otherwise dried
- 400g / 14oz can crushed tomato
- 400g/14 oz can chickpeas , drained (or other beans of choice)
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté chorizo – Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add chorizo and cook for 3 minutes or until golden.
- Sauté aromatics – Add garlic, thyme, paprika and bay leaf, then stir for 1 minute.
- Add everything else – Add tomato, chickpeas, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer then lower the heat down to medium low so it is simmering very gently.
- Cook for 15 minutes (no lid), stirring regularly to ensure the base does not catch, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Serve – Discard bay leaf and serve. I love this with hot crusty bread (slathered with butter!).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
When Dozer visited One Meal Northern Beaches early one morning before the volunteers started arriving (this was 6 am!). This is where the meals we make at RecipeTin Meals (my food bank) is donated during the week. I have a team of 3 full time cooks (chef + 2 kitchen hands) who make homemade meals from scratch, 5 days a week. Many recipes from this website! 🙂
Chorizo Chickpea Stew was nothing short of scrumptious!!!
I am not sure how I came across your website but I am thankful that I did. You are amazing. I made your chickpea and chorizo stew. Wow this was amazing we all loved it so much flavour. Nagi not sure why you dont have your own cooking show. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
This was amazing! We absolutely loved it. Let us sit for a bit longer and was still beautiful.
Absolutely incredible!!! Your site got me into cooking at the end of 2021. I’ve been cooking up a storm for my partner and I every night. This was one of the best tasting meals I’ve had ever. Thank you, Nagi!!!
So easy and delicious. Will definitely make this again.
Another success story Nagi. Loved this recipe I added an onion soooo good! No leftovers either 😊
Loving all your recipes . Made the slaw with mustard dressing and pineapple. Had it with jerk chicken. Added a little honey in dressing. Delicious!!
Really tasty and warming on a cold day!
Hi Nagi!
This looks so good! My b/f isnt a big fan of chorizo. What other sausage could be used?
I would want to add in more veggies like zucchini, carrot, onion, spinach maybe some potato too.
Nagi suggests alternatives in all her recipes including this one.
Tee commented above about using a milder Portuguese sausage. Didn’t specify the name.
The first time I tried putting chorizo in a big pot of soup, my mother and I found it a bit too spicy. Okay. My Mom found it a lot too spicy! It mellowed overnight and was so delicious the next day. We both loved it.
Quick, easy, and oh so delicious.
Could this be served with rice?
Absolutely! 🙂 N x
Nagi. Your Greek Chicken marinade, can it be used for fish or prawns, and if yes can you provide suggestions on marinade and cooking time. Thanks
Hi Jenny! Only around 20 minutes would be needed as seafood is more delicate 🙂 N x
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. It was a perfect meal for the weather we are dealing with, arctic temperatures and lots of snow! I wasn’t able to get the fresh soft chorizo so I bought the dried one, removed the outer skin and sliced each piece in half circles. I sautéed them in about 6 tbsp. of water for about 12 minutes to soften them with the lid on the pan and stirred them every couple of minutes. Followed the recipe exactly after that. This is a keeper and it is fast, even with the extra step I had to do to get the chorizo to soften. Thank you for another winner Nagi!
I love hearing that!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback Judith! N x
Congrats dear Nagi on a well earned honour. It’s stinking hot and humid but hubby insists on the chorizo and chickpeas for dinner🙄! Maybe it will work like a curry🤔?
He he I love that hubby is insisting on this for dinner!!! Mustn’t deprive him! N x
Congratulations Nagi on your 2023 Australia Day Award for Outstanding Community Service. Recipetin Meals is awesome and you should be very proud!
The stew looks great too. I am keen to try it when the weather cools and will add it to my one pot camping recipes. Thank you 🙂
Aww thank you Lynda! Very unexpected and very embarrassing, I made the most awkward speech and forgot to thank everyone 🤦🏻♀️
Thanks so much for the heads up on discount for your cookbook. I can’t wait until Feb 21 when it arrives on my doorstep!! You and Dozer enjoy your warm days while we in Ohio, USA are freezing our tails off.
You’re so welcome Susan! Thank you for getting my cookbook, I hope you enjoy it! N xx
Way to go Dozer!! I get up at 4am so you will fit right on. Mind you, we are freezing but not as bad as prior years, my Goldie’s loved it in the snow so, come on over
XOXO
Great recipe, really comforting and substantial. We added a couple of pieces of cod loin to the top for the last 10 mins.
Got the chorizo today to give this a go. 💯 exciting countdown to receiving your cookbook next month here in Canada! Congratulations Nagi and thanks for so many of our family now favourite creations 🤗
The beauty of well used soup bowls is SO aesthetically pleasing. Thanks for the visual Wabi Sabi! I am making this recipe for dinner tonight. Love and HUGS to you and Dozer! Grateful for your AWESOME-NESS!