Quick and Easy Chicken and Pea Stew is a comfort food dish that takes just 20 minutes to prepare!
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The weather here on the east coast seems to finally be turning warmer. The snow is (almost) completely melted where I live, and it does seem like spring is finally around the bend!
But. That doesn’t stop me from craving comfort food. All. The. Time. And let me tell you my friends – this quick and easy chicken and pea stew is among the most comforting dishes that you’ll make. And the best part? It actually comes together in about 15 minutes – no jokes!
I started making this recipe one late afternoon when I hadn’t thought about dinner, hadn’t gone grocery shopping, and had not much of anything in my fridge. So I decided to play a round of Chopped: Freezer Edition. I poked around my freezer for a while and came up with some pieces of chicken cutlets, all nice and cut into cubes (thank you past self for that time saver!). I raided the supply of frozen veggies that I keep on hand for just this sort of occasion, but I was running pretty low. I reached the bottom of the bin that I store the veggies in, came up with a bag of peas, and kinda shrugged. I knew I could make something work with these two things.
And boy did I ever! This chicken and pea stew is hearty and delicious, it cooks quickly, and it was just the sort of comfort food I was craving! And I’m totally not too shy to admit that I serve this alongside a bag of microwaved rice, courtesy of Trader Joes! There is no shame in my 20 minute dinner game. Nor in yours!
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- 3 Tablespoons oil, divided
- 2 lb chicken cutlets (white or dark), cut into bite size pieces
- Salt and pepper, for sprinkling
- 1 large Spanish onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (1 lb) bag frozen peas
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup chicken broth or water
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Rice, optional, for serving
- Heat half of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat. Add chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over it. Sear on high for about a minute, then stir and sear the other side for another minute. Remove from pan.
- Add remainder of the oil to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Add peas and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Add tomato paste, broth and spices. Add chicken back into pan and stir well. If mixture is too dry, add up to half a cup of water.
- Cover and raise heat to high. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- If desired, serve with rice.
- While better fresh, this chicken can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and rewarmed, covered, until heated through. It can also be frozen in an airtight container and rewarmed, covered, until cooked through.
Some FAQ about this recipe:
Can I freeze this?
While this chicken is better fresh, it can either be made a day or two ahead of time and frozen, or it can be refrigerated for a day or two.
Can I add or substitute other vegetables?
You sure can. Feel free to play around with vegetables that your family likes or whatever you have on hand. Larger vegetables than peas may need to be cut into smaller pieces, and vegetables that take longer to cook will need to be partially cooked before adding the chicken.
Can I use dark chicken cutlets (aka pargiyot or baby chicken) instead of white chicken?
Absolutely! I prefer this recipe with dark cutlets, as they stay more juicy when cooking. My husband prefers white cutlets though, so I decided to be a good wife and make it for him that way!
What side dish can I serve with this other than rice?
Anything that works well with a saucy dish like this one will work instead of rice. Plain mashed potatoes would be great, as would cooked noodles (you can mix it all together for a meal in one). Use what you like!
What can I use instead of chicken broth?
If you don’t have chicken broth to use for this recipe, you can use boxed broth (my preferred brand is imagine), or you can use chicken soup mix combined with water, or even plain water. If using plain water, you may need some extra spices or salt to compensate.
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Yumm!
Can I use fresh peas?
Yes