Cod and chickpeas make a lovely stew when you give each ingredient the cooking time it needs. The chickpeas simmer in a paprika and tomato sauce until well seasoned, then chunky pieces of cod go in towards the end. You get substantial chickpeas, tender fish and enough fragrant sauce to scoop up with bread. This version focuses on smoky paprika, sweet red pepper and a bright finish of lemon and parsley.
The useful trick is to finish the sauce before adding the fish. Once the cod is in the pan, there should be very little left to do beyond checking that it is cooked. That makes this a manageable supper even when you are preparing something to serve alongside it.
Cod and Chickpea Stew With Paprika
Serves: 4. Preparation: about 15 minutes. Cooking: about 35 minutes. Use a wide, deep frying pan or shallow casserole with a lid, so the fish can sit in a single layer.
Ingredients
- 600g skinless, boneless cod fillet, cut into roughly 5cm pieces
- 2 tins chickpeas, 400g each, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into small pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 400g
- 250ml reduced-salt vegetable stock, plus water if needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small lemon, cut into wedges
- A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
- Wholemeal bread or cooked brown rice, to serve, if liked
Method
- Prepare the cod. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and check for any remaining bones. Cut it into generous pieces of similar thickness. Keep it covered in the fridge while you make the sauce. Wash your hands and any equipment that touched the raw fish.
- Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in your pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft and the pepper is beginning to soften. Lower the heat if the vegetables start to catch.
- Add the paprika. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the smoked paprika and tomato purée, then stir for about 30 seconds. Pour in the chopped tomatoes promptly so the paprika does not scorch against the hot pan.
- Simmer the chickpea base. Add the stock, chickpeas and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pepper should be tender and the sauce thick enough to coat the chickpeas, with some liquid still visible between them.
- Adjust the sauce. Taste and add black pepper and a little salt if needed. If it seems watery, simmer for a few more minutes. If it looks dry or pasty, stir in a splash of water. Turn the heat down until the sauce is barely bubbling.
- Cook the cod gently. Nestle the fish into the sauce in a single layer, spooning a little sauce over each piece. Cover and cook gently for about 7–10 minutes, depending on thickness. Check the thickest piece: it should be opaque throughout and separate easily into flakes. Allow more time if the centre is still translucent.
- Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaf. Scatter over the parsley and squeeze a little lemon over the stew. Taste a spoonful of sauce and add more lemon if you like. Lift the fish carefully into bowls, spoon the chickpeas and sauce around it, and serve with the remaining lemon wedges.
How to keep the cod tender
A vigorous boil can break the fish into small flakes before you serve it. Keep the heat low once the cod goes in, and resist stirring. If you need to move the sauce around, gently shake the pan or spoon liquid over any exposed pieces. A lid helps the tops cook without needing to turn them repeatedly.
Thickness matters more than the exact size of each chunk. A thin tail piece may be ready before a thick piece from the centre of the fillet. Check early and lift out any cooked pieces while the others finish. Frozen cod works too: defrost it fully in the fridge according to the packet instructions, then pat dry before using.
Getting the paprika sauce right
Sweet smoked paprika brings a rounded, smoky flavour without making the stew especially hot. Hot smoked paprika can be much fierier, so avoid swapping the full quantity unless you know you enjoy its heat. For a gentler smoky flavour, use 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon ordinary sweet paprika.
Tomatoes vary in sharpness, and reducing them helps the sauce taste fuller. Give the chickpea base its simmering time before deciding what it needs. Add lemon gradually at the end: it should freshen the sauce without overwhelming the sweet pepper. For a thicker consistency, squash a spoonful of chickpeas against the side of the pan before adding the cod.
What to serve alongside
Chickpeas give the stew plenty of substance, so a piece of wholemeal bread may be all you want alongside it. Brown rice is useful when you would like something to soak up the sauce. Start cooking it before the stew and follow the packet timing.
For a fresh contrast, serve sliced cucumber and lettuce with a squeeze of lemon. Alternatively, put steamed broccoli or green beans on the table. Keep the vegetables simply dressed so the paprika sauce remains the main flavour, and let everyone choose how much bread or rice suits their appetite.
Simple variations
- Add leafy greens: stir two handfuls of baby spinach into the finished chickpea base and let it wilt before adding the cod.
- Try another white fish: use chunky haddock or pollock instead of cod, checking doneness carefully as thickness and cooking times vary.
- Add gentle heat: stir a small pinch of chilli flakes into the vegetables with the garlic, then taste before adding more.
- Change the herbs: use chopped coriander instead of parsley if you prefer its flavour with smoked paprika and lemon.
Making ahead and storing
For the best texture, make the chickpea and pepper base ahead and cook the cod when you are ready to eat. Cool the base promptly, refrigerate within two hours and use within two days. Bring it to a thorough simmer before lowering the heat and adding fresh fish as described in the method.
Refrigerate leftover finished stew within two hours and eat within two days. Reheat only the portion you need, once, until steaming hot throughout, using a covered pan over a gentle heat. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. The fish may flake more as it reheats, so spoon it carefully rather than stirring.
You can freeze the cooled chickpea base in suitable containers for up to three months. Leave space for expansion, label it and defrost in the fridge before reheating thoroughly and adding the fish. Freezing the base separately gives you more control over the cod’s final texture.
