This skillet is warmly spiced with curry and cumin, offering a nutty chickpea base with bright, lemony notes. The texture mixes crisped chickpea edges with tender spinach leaves and a silky, cooling yogurt finish. It sings next to a runny fried egg or on its own with toasted bread for scooping. Serve it for a brisk weekday breakfast or a relaxed weekend brunch when you want something savory and sustaining.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon curry powder (medium heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 small tomato, diced (or 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes)
- 5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups loosely packed)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular), for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish
- Optional: 2 eggs, fried or poached to top each serving
Instructions
- Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When shimmering, add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, and turmeric and toast the spices for another 30 seconds to bloom their flavor.
- Add the drained chickpeas and diced tomato to the pan. Toss to coat in the spiced oil and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes so the chickpeas develop some golden, crisp bits.
- Using the back of a spoon, lightly press about a quarter of the chickpeas against the skillet to smash them — this creates a mix of textures and helps the sauce bind. Stir and cook for 1–2 more minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the spinach in batches, stirring until each batch wilts down. This should take 2–3 minutes total. Season with salt, pepper, and the lemon juice.
- If using eggs, wipe a small space in the skillet and crack eggs into it; cover the pan and cook to your preferred doneness (about 3–5 minutes for runny yolks). Alternatively, fry eggs in a separate pan.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon dollops of yogurt over the chickpea and spinach mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley for freshness.
- Serve straight from the skillet or portion onto plates with toasted bread or warm flatbreads for scooping. Adjust salt and lemon if needed before serving.
Tips or Variations
Swap chickpeas for white beans or add a handful of frozen peas with the spinach for sweetness. For more richness, finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a scatter of toasted nuts like almonds or pistachios.