Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: Mediterranean Chickpea Soup #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Mediterranean Chickpea Soup #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

This recipe is from "The Kitchen" but of course I had to modify it. The recipe called for boneless thighs and I only had bone-in. I removed the skin and added them to the pot whole. Smoked paprika can be a bit spicy and hubby is spice-averse so I reduced the amount to half a teaspoon. The soup still had that wonderfully smokey flavor that the paprika adds. I imagine you could use sweet paprika for a slightly different taste. I didn't have tomato paste (I never seem to have it when I need it and I keep forgetting to buy it) and the soup didn't lack for it. The recipe didn't call for a carrot but I like the sweetness it brings so I added one large one. Finally, I didn't add the spinach since I didn't have any.

According to the recipe, frozen spinach is fine. No need to defrost it--just add it to the pot and cook until heated. Corn was also suggested as an addition. We added some grated Parmesan cheese on top. I think a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt would be a good addition as well. The soup was delicious as is and I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch!

1 large yellow onion

1 large yellow, red or orange bell pepper

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 large, sliced carrot (optional)

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 32-ounce box low-sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

5 cups baby spinach

Combine onion, bell pepper and minced garlic in a bowl. Set aside.

Combine spices—smoked paprika, cumin and salt in a bowl.

Pat boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry (or remove skin from bone-in thighs if using)

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic, and cook until softened.

Add the chicken, 1 box chicken broth, the chickpeas and optional carrot. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the chicken, carrot and chickpeas are tender, approximately 25 minutes. (If using whole thighs, it might take a bit longer.)