Moroccan Chicken Chickpea Soup with Preserved Lemon

Name: Moroccan Chicken Chickpea Soup with Preserved Lemon
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 5 thighs, patted dry; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 2 medium (180 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¾ teaspoon (1½ g) freshly ground black pepper; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use less if using fine salt); 1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; ½ cup (75 g) small pasta such as ditalini, or broken vermicelli; ½ lemon (30 g) preserved lemon, rinsed, pulp and seeds discarded, rind finely chopped; ½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant, golden North African soup of tender bone-in chicken thighs, creamy chickpeas and tiny pasta, simmered with ginger, turmeric and saffron-like warmth, then brightened with briny preserved lemon and a big handful of fresh parsley and cilantro.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: About 3 quarts (2.8 liters), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 5 thighs, patted dry
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium (180 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon (1.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use less if using fine salt)
1 cup (240 g) canned crushed tomatoes
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (15 oz each) (850 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup (75 g) small pasta such as ditalini, or broken vermicelli
½ lemon (30 g) preserved lemon, rinsed, pulp and seeds discarded, rind finely chopped
½ cup (25 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
¼ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon

Equipment (7)

5- to 6-quart (4.7-5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid
Chef's knife and cutting board
Box grater or Microplane
Tongs
Two forks for shredding
Ladle
Colander

Steps

Before you start

Preserved lemons are salty: rinse the rind under cold water and discard the pulp and seeds before chopping. Taste the soup before adding any extra salt.
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them 15 minutes ahead if you have time, so they brown better and taste seasoned through.
If using dried chickpeas, soak and cook them first (you need about 3 cups/500 g cooked); this recipe is written with canned chickpeas.
Read the timing: the chicken simmers about 35 minutes, then the soup finishes in about 15 more.

1
Season the chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper.
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Ready when: Skin looks dry and evenly speckled with seasoning.
Tip: Dry skin browns; wet skin steams.
2
Brown the thighs
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Place the thighs skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases easily.
- Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate; leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot (spoon off any excess).
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Ready when: Skin is deep golden brown; chicken is not cooked through yet.
Tip: Don't crowd the pot; brown in two batches if the thighs don't fit in one layer.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for 7 to 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft with light golden edges.
4
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and the remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until very fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly darkened and thickened.
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Ready when: Spices smell toasty and the tomatoes look a shade deeper in color.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat right away; burnt garlic turns bitter.
5
Simmer the chicken
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Return the thighs, skin-side up, with any juices from the plate.
- Reduce to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches at least 175°F (80°C) in the thickest part and the meat pulls easily from the bone.
Tip: Keep to a gentle simmer with only small bubbles; hard boiling makes the broth cloudy and the meat stringy.
6
Shred the chicken
- Using tongs, move the thighs to a cutting board and let them cool 5 minutes.
- Pull off and discard the skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-size pieces with two forks.
- Skim any excess fat from the surface of the soup with a spoon.
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Ready when: Meat falls off the bone in tender shreds.
Tip: Discarding the skin after cooking gives rich broth without greasy bites.
7
Add chickpeas and pasta
- Bring the soup to a steady simmer over medium heat.
- Add the chickpeas and pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender but still slightly firm to the bite.
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Ready when: Pasta is al dente and the chickpeas are heated through.
Tip: Pasta keeps absorbing broth; if serving later, cook it separately or add a splash of broth when reheating.
8
Finish and brighten
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the preserved lemon rind, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice.
- Simmer 2 minutes.
- Taste and add salt or pepper as needed.
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Ready when: Soup is bright, fragrant with herbs and lemon, and well seasoned.
Tip: Preserved lemon varies in saltiness, so taste before adding any more salt.
9
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls, making sure each gets chicken, chickpeas and broth.
- Serve hot with crusty bread and extra lemon wedges if you like.

Good to know

Tips

Browning the skin-on thighs builds a deeper broth; don't skip it, even though the skin is discarded later.
Rinse preserved lemon well and add it at the end so its flavor stays bright and the soup doesn't turn too salty.
For a thicker, harvira-style soup, mash about ½ cup of the chickpeas against the side of the pot before adding the pasta.
Use low-sodium broth so you can control the salt, given the preserved lemon and canned chickpeas.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 6 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, then add the chickpeas, pasta, and finish with the herbs, preserved lemon and lemon juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Cool and refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days (the pasta will soften and absorb broth). Freeze without the pasta for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding a splash of broth or water to loosen.

Substitutions

preserved lemon → Zest of 1 lemon plus an extra ½ teaspoon salt. Less complex and fermented in flavor, but gives a similar citrus lift; add with the lemon juice.
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → Bone-in chicken breasts. Simmer only 20 to 25 minutes, until 165°F (74°C), to avoid dry meat.
small pasta such as ditalini, or broken vermicelli → 1/2 cup (95 g) rice or broken vermicelli. Rice needs about 15 minutes; vermicelli cooks in 4 to 5 minutes. For gluten-free, use rice.
fresh cilantro → Additional flat-leaf parsley. Use an extra 3 tablespoons parsley if you dislike cilantro.