On chilly fall or winter days there is nothing like a hearty bowl of homemade stew and comforting rustic bread to cheer your spirits and warm your soul.
Homemade Stew for Cold Winter Days
This recipe will feed a crowd of ten hungry eaters and promises to become a family favorite. Easy to prepare and inexpensive, it is the perfect go-to dish for warming up après ski and for unexpected guests, too!
Chicken, Chickpea and Zucchini Stew Recipe
Serves 10
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken thighs (bone-in and skin on) – about 1 pound
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1½ teaspoons fresh)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 medium-sized zucchini – about 4 cups
- 2¼ cups vegetable broth or bouillon
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste – about ½ can
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas – or 2 cans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies – 14.5 ounces
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
- In a heavy bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil and brown chicken thighs.
- When the chicken’s skin is golden brown, add the onion and sauté until they have softened.
- Add the garlic and rosemary and continue to sauté for 2 minutes more.
- Add chicken broth to deglaze pan. Cover, and allow to simmer 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove thighs from pot with a slotted spoon.
- Using two forks carefully pull the chicken meat from the bone and shred.
- Chop the skin into small pieces and reserve with the shredded thigh meat.
- Discard bone, and return meat and skin to the pot.
- Trim and discard ends of zucchini.
- Cut zucchini into quarters, lengthwise. Then chop the zucchini into ½ inch chunks.
- Add zucchini and the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring it up to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes more.
- Serve hot.
Notes and Serving Suggestions
- Garnish the chickpea stew with parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Serve with a fresh green salad and a chunk of crusty French bread for a healthy and inexpensive meal.
- Chicken, Chickpea & Zucchini Stew is easy to prepare and can feed a crowd.
- Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers because the flavors develop over time and the stew tastes even better the second time around.
Nutrition per One-cup Serving of Chicken, Chickpea & Zucchini Stew
- Calories – 175
- Calories from fat – 25% DV
- Fat – 5 grams
- Protein – 11.4 grams
- Carbohydrate – 21 grams
- Fiber 4.7 grams
- Cholesterol – 19 milligrams
- Iron – 2 milligrams
- Sodium – 600 milligrams
- Calcium – 130 milligrams
Homemade stews on cold winter days are fortifying to the immune system and supportive of the metabolism. Whereas we need lighter cooler fare during warmer periods of the year, according to Michio Kushi, during cold weather our food should be dense and warm in order to maintain natural balance and radiant health. Homemade stews including fresh ingredients like chicken, zucchini and garbanzo beans fit that bill perfectly.
Reference
- Kushi, M (2003). The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health. New York, NY. Ballantine Books
- Netzer, C (2000). The Complete Book of Food Counts (Ed.5).New York, NY. Random House
Maria Blanco - Writer/Editor, Certified Family Herbalist, Naturopath, Holistic Nutritional Consultant
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