Spanish Chicken with Chickpeas & Chorizo

Serves 4

by Tony Rosenfeld
from Fine Cooking
Issue 95
Last Edit Date: 5/17/2011 9:46:04 AM

When the weather turns cool, add a little heat to your weeknight meal. In this dish, chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage, combines with chicken, chickpeas, tomatoes, and garlic to make a warming dinner. Chorizo is available in many supermarkets and specialty stores and is worth a special trip if you have to make one.

more about:

14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. sherry vinegar
Pinch saffron threads
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 large cloves garlic, smashed
15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. dried thyme

Purée the tomatoes and their juices, the vinegar, saffron, and 1/2 cup water in a blender or food processor. Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper, dredge the chicken in the flour, and shake off any excess.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the chicken and cook without touching until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until the other sides brown, 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil to the pan and then add the chorizo and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until they start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, chickpeas, and thyme and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, nestling it into the sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the garlic cloves before serving, if you like.

Serving Suggestions

Start the meal with a Green Salad with Olives, Manchego & Romesco Sauce.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 730; Fat (g): 37; Fat Calories (kcal): 330; Saturated Fat (g): 11; Protein (g): 59; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 19; Carbohydrates (g): 40; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1560; Cholesterol (mg): 145; Fiber (g): 8;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by judejude, 6/11/2013simple, easy delicious. Added a splash of white wine (because it was there) and served over mashed spuds. Needs some parsley to finish I agree. Just for colour. Will make again.

by twood, 9/6/2012I really enjoyed the flavors. It was surprisingly quick to make. Like other reviewers I didn't bother blending the tomatoes. I also used a can of roasted tomatoes. Delicious!

by fdzfamily, 6/4/2012Absolutely delicious! Wouldn't change a thing.

by eselque, 10/29/2011Delicious! I used chicken thighs instead of breasts and cooked a little longer, but other than that followed the recipe exactly.

by murray27, 9/25/2011Absolutely delicious! Use the best quality chorizo you can find. The only improvement I can suggest is to sprinkle the finished dish with some minced parsley. The contrasting green color really boosts the visual appeal. I'll be adding this recipe to the regular dinner rotation for my family.

by laurenc9712, 3/13/2011My friend and I made this dish for a fun Sunday night dinner. It was so tasty! The chicken was very tender and the sauce was delish! I used hot Italian sausage and black beans instead of the chickpeas and chorizo - was very happy with the results!

by srbarnard, 11/4/2010A great recipe that I will use again. The dish is hearty, but not overly heavy. The chicken was very moist and perfectly cooked with lots of flavor.

by PElaine, 10/30/2010Excellent dish. I made this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and did not puree the tomatoes. My husband raved about the flavors and the texture of the dish. We had this with a Tempranillo which was a perfect match.

by ChucklesT, 10/8/2010Recently made this recipe for a church gathering, using chicken legs instead of breasts. Easy yet elegant and very delicious.

by m2violin, 2/28/2010Loved this! I used chicken thighs instead of the boneless, skinless breasts and did not dredge them in flour. I increased the browning time to 5 minutes per side to get the nice carmelization, and I poured off most of the accumulated fat after browning the thighs so the sauce wouldn't be greasy. I increased the braising time to 20 minutes, and it came out perfectly. Easy, delicious dish!

by mamaRachel, 2/20/2010I had this for dinner tonight at a friends home. It was fabulous- tender and flavorful without being too heavy. I'll definitely be making this at home for my family!

by OrganicGirl98, 5/14/2009This is one of our favorite dishes. I agree, you have to use the spicy chorizo sausage. I don't bother pureeing the tomatoes- I use the Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes (28oz can) as well as adding extra chickpeas to make the dish even more hearty. I also adjust the spices to taste.

by kbauer, 3/22/2009I found authentic spanish chorizo at the deli. This dish was incredibly easy while packing an incredible amount of flavor (I didn't have any saffron on hand though!) It's easy enough for a weeknight but the flavor would impress any weekend dinner guest.

by papermom, 12/10/2008

by AndieReid, 9/16/2008Another Tony Rosenfeld winner! Made this tonight and both loved it! A friend of ours brought us some really good quality chorizo, and this was the perfect opportunity to use it. The dish is hearty, without being too heavy. The chickpeas actually add some lightness to the dish - I seared them in the pan with a tiny bit of extra oil to give them a little more texture. The whole recipe was very well balanced and delicious. We added a few kalamata olives, but other than that, followed the recipe. Definitely a keeper in our kitchen. We served it with some steamed rice.