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Chicken and chickpeas with zesty breadcrumbs

Name: Chicken and chickpeas with zesty breadcrumbs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean recipes
Ingredients: Glug olive oil; 2 small handfuls dried breadcrumbs; 6-8 skin-on free-range chicken thighs; 2 small onions; 2 garlic cloves; 2 x 400g tins chickpeas; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; Small bunch fresh parsley; 1 lemon

Published: 31 Aug 14
Updated: 18 Mar 24

This simple chicken and chickpea dinner recipe can be mostly made with ingredients you’ll most-likely find in the storecupboard.

Or, for something a little healthier, try Donal Skehan’s tomato-braised chicken with chickpeas.

Easy
September 2014

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min, oven time 25 min, plus resting

This simple chicken and chickpea dinner recipe can be mostly made with ingredients you’ll most-likely find in the storecupboard.

Or, for something a little healthier, try Donal Skehan’s tomato-braised chicken with chickpeas.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 455kcals
Fat: 17.1g (3.3g saturated)
Protein: 45.6g
Carbohydrates: 30g (3.3g sugars)
Fibre: 8.3g
Salt: 1.3g

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Ingredients

Glug olive oil
2 small handfuls dried breadcrumbs
6-8 skin-on free-range chicken thighs
2 small onions
2 garlic cloves
2 x 400g tins chickpeas
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Small bunch fresh parsley
1 lemon

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Method

Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Pour the oil into the pan, add the breadcrumbs, season, then cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing, until lightly golden. Tip into a bowl to cool.
Put the pan over a high heat and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Season the meat and fry for 5 minutes or until the skin is golden. Turn over, fry for 30 seconds, then put in a baking tray, skin-side up, and roast for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the onions and slice the garlic. Fry the onions in the pan over a medium heat, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes until golden and softened. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes more. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add with the tomatoes. Season and simmer briskly, stirring often, for 10 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 2-3 minutes.
Finely chop the parsley and grate the zest of the lemon. Mix both with the breadcrumbs to make the zesty topping, then season.
Stir any chicken juices through the chickpeas, then divide among plates. Slice the thighs, removing the bones, and arrange on top of the chickpeas, then scatter with some zesty breadcrumbs. Serve with lemon wedges and the rest of the breadcrumbs.