Stewed Garbanzo Beans with Chicken - Bittman Style

This recipe is my submission to the Brand Spankin' New Recipe Hop - Tackling Bittman - A Recipe Hop hosted by myself and two other amazing bloggers - Alex at A Moderate Life and Dr. Laura at Who is Laura.
We are all thrilled to be cooking from Mark Bittman's recipes and hope you will join us in the fun.

This stewed dish is exotic in flavor and origin - its seasonings remind you of food from Spain/North Africa.  It is not too crazy exotic that my kids didn't like it - some of them loved it as a matter of fact!

It has chicken in the title but the chicken can be omitted easily and it is a great vegetarian meal.

I am excited because I was able to use the chicken that I helped butcher - it was almost a religious experience, eating of our own chickens. I knew where they came from, everything they had eaten and that they were happy and healthy chickens. If you have never eaten heritage, free range chicken it is a little different - these chickens are lean, very little fat on them - definitely not your grocery store chicken.

I love that this has garbanzo beans ( I just love the garbanzo name - way more fun than chickpeas) in them - I just adore them and am always trying to sneak them into our meal plan. This was a hit!

Stewed Garbanzo Beans with Chicken

4 cups cooked or canned garbanzo beans

2 cups bean -cooking liquid, stock, or water

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 TBS neutral oil - I used coconut oil

2 to 3 pounds chicken parts, preferably leg - thigh pieces separated at the joint, skin removed if you want. I used a whole cut up chicken and a half because these birds don't have a lot of meat.

1 large onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot chopped

1 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp ground coriander (I didn't have any)

2 tsp ground cumin

2 cups peeled seeded, and chopped tomato - you can use canned and I did, just include the juice

Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Warm the beans in a large pot with liquid; add salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles very slowly.
2. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, transfer chicken to a roasting pan, and put in oven.
3. Pour off all but 3 TBS of fat in skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions, celery and carrot. Cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin and tomato and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any bits. Add the mixture to the simmering beans.
4. When the chicken has cooked for about 15 minutes, check for doneness. When it is ready, remove from oven. When the veggies are tender, put the garbanzo beans and vegetables on a large deep platter, top with chicken and garnish and serve.

This can be a vegetarian meal if you omit the chicken and saute either eggplant cubes or slices of zucchini in a 1/4 cup olive oil until tender. Then combine the veggie with the chickpeas and their seasonings and roast for about 10 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the top begins to brown.

If you like garbanzo beans you should check out my Mediterranean Stew over Couscous!

I am linking this to the NEW Blog Hop - Tackling Bittman: A Recipe Hop - the new button is below!

<ahref="http: frugalcrunchychristy.blogspot.com="" label="" search="" tackling%20bittman%3a%20a%20recipe%20hop="" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq51/Mrschristine_2008/Blog%20buttons/bittmanbutton.jpg" /></ahref="http:></textorea><br /> I am also linking this to the lovely Mrs. Jenny Matlock's AlphabeThursdays - G is for Garbanzo beans!I am also linking this to the Lovely Mrs. Jenny Matlock's AlphabeThursday = G is for Garbanzo Beans! 
and Wholesome Whole Foods at HealthFoodLover

Chickpeas