Chicken Stew with Potatoes, Chickpeas, and Green Olives

Headnote

This is a measured, deeply savory stew in which chicken, vegetables, and legumes are brought into clear, separate relief before being unified in a light tomato broth. The rice is cooked apart and folded in at the end, so the dish remains composed rather than heavy. Green olives sharpen the finish and give the stew its quiet authority.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Stew

Cuisine or origin: Mediterranean-inspired

Course type: Main course

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 430 g

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Moderate

Equipment

1 medium saucepan, 20 cm

1 small saucepan with lid

1 cutting board

1 chef’s knife

1 wooden spoon

1 fine grater or microplane

Ingredients

For the rice

White rice, 50 g

Water, 100 g

Salt, 1 g

For the stew

Chicken, 120 g, cut into 2 cm pieces

Vegetable oil, 12 g

Onion, 40 g, finely diced

Garlic, 4 g, finely minced

Tomato, 60 g, grated

Potato, 55 g, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes

Carrot, 35 g, cut into 1 cm dice

Chickpea, 30 g, cooked and drained

Green olive, 18 g, pitted and halved

Water, 110 g

Salt, 3 g

Black pepper, 0.5 g

Method

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs nearly clear. Combine the rice, water, and salt in the small saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to the lowest heat. Cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes. The grains should be separate, tender, and dry on the surface.

2. While the rice cooks, season the chicken with 1 g of the salt and the black pepper.

3. Set the medium saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and lightly softened but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

4. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning the pieces so they lose their raw exterior and take on a light opaque color. Add the grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until it loses its raw edge and the pan smells rounded and savory.

5. Add the potato, carrot, chickpea, green olive, water, and the remaining salt. Bring to a steady simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover partially and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potato is tender at the center and the carrot yields cleanly to the knife. The broth should be lightly thickened, not soupy.

6. Fluff the rice with a fork. Fold it into the stew gently and cook for 1 minute more, just to bring everything to the same temperature. Adjust the seasoning only if necessary; the finished stew should taste balanced, savory, and clean, with the olive lifting the finish.

Plating and serving

Spoon the stew into a warm shallow bowl, allowing the rice, chicken, and vegetables to settle evenly in the broth. Finish with a few olives visible at the surface and serve immediately while the texture remains distinct and the stew is supple.

Professional notes

Keep the tomato brief on the heat before adding liquid; this preserves depth without acidity dominating the dish.

The rice must rest covered after cooking so it finishes evenly and holds its shape when folded into the stew.

The final texture should be moist and cohesive, with each component still identifiable.