Lemon Chicken with Chickpeas; state of the potager

This dish was the reason I made chickpeas in my Instant Pot a few weeks ago.

I had preserved lemon in the fridge and this is the time of year I try to use up things that are primarily winter cooking. I like to free space for summer cooking. Actually, I am freeing space for summer fruits which we eat rather a lot of. I buy 2 – 3 dozen nectarines and peaches every week in the summer.

Also, I am finally picking lettuce which takes up a lot of room in the fridge I had predicted that all 48 heads of lettuce would be ready on the same day.

I was wrong.

They’ll probably last a week or more in the potager, thanks to the unseasonably cold, rainy weather.

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Lemon Chicken with Chickpeas

Print Recipe

This is a quick dinner of chicken, chickpeas and preserved lemon. Serve over rice, quinoa or orzo.

• Author: Kate
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Chicken
• Method: Skillet

Ingredients

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• 2 (12oz, 360gr) chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 14oz (400gr) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup Greek olives (about 12), chopped
• 3oz (90gr) feta, crumbled
• 1/2 preserved lemon, pulp removed, sliced
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken broth
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) dry sherry
• 2 tsp cornstarch (Maizena) dissolved in 1 tbs water
• 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) Basmati rice
• 1 cup (8oz 240gr) chicken broth

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Instructions

• Cook rice in 1 cup broth, according to package instructions.
• Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add onion, carrots to skillet and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
• Add garlic, chicken and stir-fry until chicken is cooked through.
• Add chickpeas, chicken broth, sherry, and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until carrots are done.
• Add cornstarch mixture to skillet and stir until thickened.
• Add olives, feta and lemon. 
• Stir, just until the feta starts to melt.
• Remove from heat and serve over rice

Notes

You can substitute white wine, apple juice or more chicken stock for the sherry.
Substitute 1 tbs fresh lemon juice for the preserved lemon.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 recipe
• Calories: 947
• Sugar: 18.8 g
• Sodium: 1302.6 mg
• Fat: 26.6 g
• Saturated Fat: 9.1 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 109.9 g
• Fiber: 16.6 g
• Protein: 66.9 g
• Cholesterol: 161.9 mg

Keywords: lemon chicken, chickpeas, preserved lemon

As to the state of the potager…..

All of my summer and winter squashes needed to go in the ground. Some should have been in last week at least. The weather just has not been good.

Today, I decided, was the day. It wasn’t very warm but the sun was shining and it wasn’t windy. I got everything organized, put on my jacket, and it started raining.

I went back to work on my computer.

10 minutes later the sun was out again. I grabbed a few pots, my trowel and my hoe, and dashed off to the potager.

I got one plant in before the wind and rain drove me back to the house.

20 minutes later I tried again. I had better luck…. I planted 6 plants.

Eventually, I had an hour-long stretch of sunshine which allowed me to get all the squashes in the ground and hoe my muddy footprints so they didn’t turn to concrete as they dried.

Now the question….. will they survive the cool temps and constant rain?

Ah well…. if they don’t I have more seeds. At least one tray of seedlings is out of the dining room.

I still have the 16 tomato plants….