I can’t say I’ve ever gone out of my way to buy/cook/eat chard. But there was something about Julie’s entry during her year-long, post-a-day, blog-a-thon involving roasted chickpeas and chard that, for some unknown reason, really appealed to me. I filed it away, figuratively, for a future date and carried on with things.
So, when a friend at work was extolling the virtues of her chard crop, I was immediately reminded of my plan to try out this dish. And, very fortuitously, she was happy to provide me with a large bunch of chard to use in my attempt.
Oh chard! Why have I foresaken thee for so many years? You are quick to prepare and delicious! And I’m pretty sure you’re good for me too!
I’m just sad now that the chard season (at least in my friend’s garden) is over for another year. Most of the generous bunch she gave me went into the dish with the roasted chickpeas. But I held back a few stalks that I sauteed quickly with garlic and topped with a fried egg for breakfast one day.
The original recipe just calls for the leaves from what I can tell. But I liked the rainbow stalks so much that I diced them finely and fried them for a few minutes before adding the leaves to the mixture.
I can only hope that next year my friend’s chard crop is even bigger and she is as giving as this time around with it….
This recipe has been adapted ever so slightly from the original, as seen here. Mostly because I didn’t have enough garlic to do it properly and, as mentioned before, because I used up the stalks too.
Roasted Chickpeas with Chard
For the chickpeas
1 19 oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic, peeled (original calls for entire head; will try this next time)
2 shallots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
For the chard:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch Swiss chard, center stems removed and chopped finely, and leaves coarsely torn
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup vegetable, chicken or beef broth
Preheat oven to 400. In a baking dish, combine chickpeas, garlic, shallots, bay leaves and oil. Roast for about 45 minutes, shaking the pan at least once (twice is probably even better) until everything is golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a frying pan on the stove, add olive oil and heat until hot. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds until it is fragrant, add chard stems and saute for a minute or two until tender. Add chard and continue cooking until it has wilted — about five minutes. Pour over stock, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove lid and drain excess liquid. Add chickpea mixture, season with salt and pepper and mix until heated through. Add a little more olive oil if desired.
22 Comments
What a a perfect healthy dish!
What a lovely dish and such a great way to use swiss chard!
I’m not a big fan of chickpeas and of chard, but I have to tell you that your photos are changing my mind! Looks wonderful!
wow; this sounds incred…! oh, how i adore chard, and i am always on the lookout for more ways to use it. this must be tried!
Yay, you tried it! I’ve started cutting back on the garlic as I make it more often too, and streamlining the recipe. So yum.
If you really like chard you should join the CSA – we had ridiculous amounts of it this summer. Ate it every week and still have a loaded freezer. This was one of our favourite ways. Loved making fricos with it too.
I’m so proud to be the mother of this famous chard… Gwendolyn, you’re photos are sooooo gorgeous! Next year, I’ve got a row with your name on it.
I love chickpeas and I love chard but had never considered serving them together, for the life of me I cannot think why.
This is a beautiful dish :)
I believe this recipe originally appeared in Bon Appetit
Magazine-or else one very similar.I did try it,and it was my first taste of chard also. let me tell you it is well worth trying!!
Hilarious – I was just Jonesing for this stuff! Glad you’ve discovered it too! Yum.
The colors are stunning! and so inviting.
Tried this recipe out. It was wholesome and “fine,” but not great. Here’s where I think I might have gone wrong (bleeding into where I think the recipe might be improved):
I used too many chick peas. They don’t sell 19 oz cans around where I live, so I used 2 14-oz cans. That’s 50% more than the recipe called for, so I’m not surprised the chick peas were too numerous.
The roasting did wonders for the color but not the mouthfeel of the chickpeas – they ended up kind of tough on the outside and unpleasant-mealy on the inside. I wonder without proof whether this might be because I used low-sodium garbanzos rather than the usual salty sort. I will try the saltier kind next time.
Beyond that – and I think this is a problem with the recipe – the final dish is *crying out* for some kind of acid to brighten the earthy flavors. I used quite a lot of lemon juice to accomplish this – it worked well. For two people (about half the dish) we used a whole lemon, and probably could have used more.
I would advise against using smaller amounts of garlic than the recipe calls for, unless you’re very sensitive – and I might also use more liquid than the half-cup of stock called for.
Served this over millet. It was awesome! Added thyme to beans. Reminded me of deep-fried chickpeas, which are amazing.
A great way to introduce Chard to people hesitant about getting greens in their diets. I reposted this recipe on our Facebook page. Thanks!
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