Chicken and Bacon with Chickpeas and Spinach

02. March 2007 Chicken, Vegetables + Salads 0

I was doing my grocery shopping in Chinatown when I came across a pack of extra small chicken drumsticks. About a dozen pieces were tightly packed for about $1.50. At home, I opened them up and realized they weren’t chicken thighs but the other half of chicken wings–the arms, I call them. I had two packs, 24 pieces in all, and I immediately thought I’d just deep-fry and snack on them. But the temperature outside dropped and the weather called for a thick stew. This recipe requires a lot of ingredients, but fortunately, I already had them in my pantry. If you don’t have chicken and spinach, chickpeas alone make a satisfying meal, as long as it’s cooked in bacon. Just skip the step with the chicken and spinach and top with a fried egg.

Ingredients:
12 pieces chicken wings, halved, rinsed and pat dry with a paper towel
4 strips of bacon
half a bag of chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 bag of baby spinach, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
juice from half a lemon
zest from half a lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp cumin, grounded
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp honey
a knob of butter
a handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
salt and pepper

1. Sprinkle chicken wings with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, render fat from bacon until golden brown. Add butter. Brown chicken wings on both sides. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, sautÃ© garlic and onions. Add the chick peas and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes to cook chickpeas.
3. When broth is slightly reduced and chickpeas are tender, add the rest of the ingredients. Add back the chicken wings. Cook for an extra 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Mix well and season to taste.