This pan seared chicken & chickpeas with a herby, lemon and anchovy sauce is bold, bright and tastes like something you’d get from your favorite bistro! Prepped all in one-pan, this recipe is straightforward and approachable enough to make and enjoy, even on busy weeknights. | Gluten Free + Dairy Free
Looking for a new recipe idea to get you out of a dinner rut? Make this saucy, pan seared chicken & chickpeas dish!
I got the idea for this recipe from my 5-star rated Za’atar Spiced Pasta with Chickpeas and Spinach which is a vegan adaptation of a Yotam Ottolenghi chickpea pasta.
One key ingredient difference (other than the added chicken & lack of pasta) is that this recipe uses anchovy instead of miso to provide a rich, umami flavor.
How to Make Pan Seared Chicken & Saucy Chickpeas
It’s made with lightly-floured chicken breast and creamy chickpeas smothered in a bright and savory lemon-anchovy sauce. It’s easy to make in one pan – you just need a bit of time to simmer the liquids down into a thick, rich, flavor-packed sauce.
Season & dust chicken with salt, pepper & flour.
Sear chicken in a hot pan on both sides until golden brown.
Add to pan: onion, garlic, anchovies, zest, cumin & thyme.
Sauté seasoning & aromatics, about 5 minutes.
Add chickpeas to the sautéed onion mixture.
Sauté chickpeas, another 4-5 minutes. Mix & coat in spice.
Add liquids (stock & lemon juice) to the chickpeas.
Simmer, about 15-20 minutes to reduce the liquids into a thicker sauce.
Add spinach & parsley: Turn off the burner & let the residual heat wilt the spinach.
Return chicken to the pan, nestle in between spinach and chickpeas & coat in sauce.
Recipe Tips💡
- Pat the chicken breast down with paper towels before seasoning and dusting.
- You want to remove excess moisture so the chicken sears, not steams, as it cooks.
- Use a large pan to avoid overcrowding the chicken and faster cook time.
- If the chicken breast are too tightly packed in the pan to cook, they’ll steam and take longer to sear.
- A larger surface area/diameter on the skillet will also allow the liquids to reduce down in less time.
- Heat the pan well before searing.
- This will help ensure you create a nice, golden brown crust on the outside of the chicken as it cooks.
- Use an oil with a high-smoke point.
- Use vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, avocado oil – any neutral-flavored oil will do. You need to cook on a medium-high/high temperature to properly sear the chicken. Coconut oil and olive oil have low smoke points which aren’t ideal here.
Serving Suggestions & Ideas
Think starchy, carby sides like mashed potatoes, rice, pasta or bread – something you can use to mop up the pan sauce.
Salad is always a good idea! Throw a few handfuls of mixed salad leaves in a big bowl, with olive oil and a balsamic reduction. Add salt, pepper and maybe a handful of nuts, seeds or croutons and you’re good to go, my friend.
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this pan seared chicken & saucy chickpeas dinner! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Pan Seared Chicken & Chickpeas in a Lemon-Anchovy Sauce
Pan seared chicken and creamy chickpeas smothered in a bright and savory lemon-anchovy sauce with spinach and plenty of fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 lb)
- ½ tsp salt & black pepper, each + more for seasoning
- ¼ cup gluten free all purpose flour (35g)
- 4 tbsp cooking oil, divided (60 ml)
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
- 1 lemon to get 3 tbsp lemon juice (45ml) + 1 tsp zest
- 1 can (15 oz | 400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken stock (480ml)
- 3 cups spinach, (90 g)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped (15 g)
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half, horizontally to make 2 thin steaks out of each breast (end with 4 total). Pat chicken breast dry with a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture.
- Season chicken with salt & pepper on both sides, then sprinkle with flour. Make sure to rub flour all over the chicken until well-coated, then shake off the excess flour.
- Warm a large, heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering add the chicken breast. Cook, without moving, about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side another 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.
- In the same pan, add another 1-2 tbsp oil along with the onion, garlic, cumin, thyme, anchovies and lemon zest . Fry, about about 3-4 minutes until onion is golden and soft.
- Add the chickpeas. Fry another 5 minutes, stirring every so often.
- Add stock and lemon juice to the chickpea mixture. Simmer 15-20 minutes to reduce the sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed or more lemon juice if you want a brighter flavor.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the spinach and half the parsley along with the seared chicken - make sure to tip the juices from the chicken plate back into the pan too! Leave for a minute or so to let the residual heat wilt the spinach and warm up the chicken.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle remaining parsley over the top. Serve with a side of rice, potatoes or a piece of crusty bread to mop up the sauce and enjoy.
Notes
- Leftovers: Cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Chicken: Use 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs pounded to an even thickness instead of breast.
- Oil: Use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil or avocado oil with a high smoke point. You can use olive oil, but it has a lower smoke point so it might smoke/burn when searing the chicken at a high temp.
- Salt/Sodium: I don't add much extra salt here because the anchovies and the chicken stock provide quite a bit on their own. If you want to reduce the salt, make sure to use a low-sodium stock or replace half the stock with water.
- What to do with leftover anchovies? Chop 1-2 up to add to savory sauces and dishes. Sauté with other aromatics to add extra umami and pop of flavor.
Leave a Review!