The Chickpea Soup 🍲

A colourful and nourishing one-pot meal! 💛✨

Chickpeas, juicy chicken breast and sweet colourful peppers come together in a delicious Mediterranean soup, with a touch of turmeric and a refreshing lemon finish.

Perfect for a family lunch or dinner!

🔹 Serves 6

🔶 Ingredients

🔹 500 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (steps 1, 2)

🔹 1 large double chicken breast, approximately 400–500 g, cut into small cubes (step 4)

🔹 3 bell peppers, one red, one yellow and one orange, diced (step 5)

🔹 1 medium onion, peeled and left whole (step 2)

🔹 1 bay leaf (step 2)

🔹 1 celery stalk, finely chopped (step 5)

🔹 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (step 5)

🔹 ½ tsp turmeric, or to taste (step 5)

🔹 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (step 5)

🔹 Juice of 1 medium lemon (step 7)

🔹 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) (step 7)

🔹 Approximately 2 litres water, plus extra if needed (step 2)

🔶 Directions

1. The night before, place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover generously with water. Add a little coarse salt if desired and leave to soak overnight. The following day, drain and rinse thoroughly.

2. Place the chickpeas in a large saucepan. Add the whole onion, bay leaf and approximately 2 litres of fresh water, enough to cover the chickpeas generously.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the chickpeas are almost completely tender, usually 60–90 minutes or longer depending on the variety. Add more water if necessary.

4. Add the diced chicken breast and continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes.

5. Add the colourful peppers, celery, olive oil, turmeric, salt and black pepper. Remove the whole onion and bay leaf. Continue simmering for another 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked, reaching 74°C internally.

6. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.

7. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornflour in the lemon juice. Gradually add a ladle of warm soup liquid, stirring until smooth.

8. Pour the lemon mixture back into the saucepan and simmer gently for another 1–2 minutes, stirring until the broth thickens slightly.

9. Remove from the heat and serve warm, with a little extra lemon if desired!

Here are some ideas that would pair well with this recipe, if you want to experiment:

• Extra vegetables: Add carrots, zucchini or fresh spinach.

• More Mediterranean flavour: Add a little fresh oregano, thyme or parsley.

• Creamier texture: Blend a small portion of the cooked chickpeas with some broth and return it to the pot.

• Plant-based version: Omit the chicken and add extra chickpeas or white beans.

💡 Healthy U Tip: Chickpeas are rich in fibre and provide plant protein, while chicken contributes additional high-quality protein. The colourful peppers also provide vitamin C, which supports the absorption of non-haem iron from the chickpeas.

Make a big pot and enjoy a comforting homemade meal with the whole family!

Enjoy! 🍽️

Tags: recipes, soups, Mediterranean, high protein