Lebanese Bean Stew

4.99 from 50 votes

This one pot Lebanese bean stew is so easy to make and loaded with flavor. This weeknight meal is perfect for freezer dinners and is made with fresh and tasty ingredients.

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This Lebanese bean stew is a great one pot meal that is rich and full of flavor. Made with simple ingredients, this chicken and tomato stew requires minimal prep and is perfect for a family weeknight meal. I make a variation of a stew like this once a week!

Lebanese bean stew served in a white bowl with rice
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Stew is always a great family comfort meal, but this stew really is the ultimate! This Lebanese chicken and bean stew is so loaded with flavor and it’s perfect for make ahead and freezer meals.

How do you make Lebanese bean stew?

  • Heat the oil in a skillet on a medium heat and cook the cilantro, garlic and red pepper until fragrant. This is how I start all my stews and the fragrant is unreal!
Herbs and spices cooking in a skillet
  • Add the tomato paste followed by the tomatoes and water and stir til blended.
  • Add the white beans, chicken breast and seasonings. Cook in low until the chicken is cooked and the stew thickens.
Beans and chicken added to the stew
  • Remove the chicken breast, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot. Stir and serve.
The finished Lebanese bean stew in a pot ready to serve

Tips for making Arabic stews

  1. Make the stew in a heavy bottomed pan or skillet. Heavy bottomed pans distribute heat more evenly and hot spots are less likely to form, which can burn the bottom of the stew.
  2. Use good quality chicken breast. I prefer to use breasts over thighs as they shred more easily and it cooks in less than as compared to bone-in chicken.
  3. Don’t overcook the stew. If you cook it for too long the beans can become mushy. If you’re using beef instead of chicken that needs more cooking, you can wait for the last 20 minutes to add the beans.

Frequently asked questions

What do you serve stew with?

While traditional American stew is usually served on its own because most stews will have a type of starch, a type of vegetable and beef, which creates a full meal in a bowl. The Lebanese style stews though are generally served with Lebanese Rice, very similar to how curries are enjoyed with rice. You can also serve it with brown rice or quinoa.

Can you make it ahead of time?

This Lebanese bean stew is perfect for make ahead and freezer meals. Once it has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheated on the stovetop or microwave.

Can you freeze it?

Yes! This stew makes for perfect freezer meals! Transfer the cooled stew to either a freezer safe container or freezer bags and it will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw the stew in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove top. Because the stew contains chicken, be sure to only re heat it once.

Lebanese bean stew served in two white bowls

This hearty Lebanese bean stew is a firm family favorite! It’s so easy to make and really is the most perfect comfort food!

For more stew recipes:

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Lebanese Bean Stew

This one pot Lebanese bean stew is so easy to make and loaded with flavor. This weeknight meal is perfect for freezer dinners and is made with fresh and tasty ingredients.
5 from 50 votes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 143
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped (plus more for serving)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 15-ounce canned diced tomato
  • 2 15-ounce canned white kidney beans
  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon 7 Spice
  • Lebanese rice for serving

Instructions

  • In a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil, then add the cilantro, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook together with the cilantro mixture until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and 4 cups of water and stir until well blended to create a tomato broth.
  • Reduce the heat to low, add the white beans, raw the chicken breast and bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper and 7 Spice and cook covered until the chicken is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard. Remove the chicken breast from the tomato broth, shred it and return it to the pot.
  • Serve over traditional Lebanese rice pilaf and sprinkle fresh cilantro for garnish.

Notes

Storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and they will keep for around 4 days. You can also freeze the stew and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • Instead of tomato paste and, you can use an extra can of diced tomatoes a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce.
  • Instead of 7 Spice, you can substitute any mix of paprika, cumin, coriander, ground cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon
  • To make it vegan, just leave the chicken out. You can add other vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant or zucchini.
* Please note the nutrition label does not include the rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 595mg, Potassium: 429mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 383IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine Lebanese
Course: Main Course

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Comments

  1. I made this last night for my hubs . It’s great. I added mushrooms instead of rice vermicelli.
    We loved it. I’ve made Giadda de lorentis’ chicken stew many times and they both are delicious.
    Saying hello from Vegas !
    Lisa

  2. Loved it. Added a bit of lemon juice and a few crumbles of goat cheese for garnish. I also used smoked chicken thighs as I always have them.

  3. I see that in your recipe you indicate “raw the chicken “? You mean i add the chicken raw in the stew or should i sautée it first?

    1. Yes, I add it raw to the stew and it will poach in the sauce. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can cook the chicken separately first either by boiling it or sauteeing it.

      1. I actually made it and it was delicious!! Just added raw without boiling or sautéing first. I only omitted the cilantro and added green beans instead of white beans. I just couldn’t understand it because of the way it was worded “raw the chicken” instead of “add the raw chicken “. I thought maybe you meant like shred the chicken or something, lol

  4. This was soooo easy to make and soooooo flavorful! I used 3 cups of chicken broth instead of water, and since I could not find the 7 spice blend I followed the instructions below the recipe to make my own spice. I even forgot the Bay Leaves as I didn’t see it in the instructions but this dish was perfect! Absolutely delicious, a definite do-over!

  5. Thank you for this recipe. It is delicious. I would like to make it again, but in the slow cooker. Do you think I should add less water? It was so good on the stovetop, but would love to try slow cooker for days I am at work.

  6. Oh no! I halved the recipe but still added 4 cups of water! I thought the instructions would update when I selected 3 servings.
    The recipe list calls for a Bay leaf but th2 instructions don’t say when to add it.
    I hope it turns out ok.

    1. Oh that’s odd that the recipe didn’t update when you selected 3 servings! I’ll check to see if there are errors happening. I added the bay leaf to the instructions now, but it’s optional, so it should be fine. And if you have too much water, just let it cook uncovered a little longer. Let me know how it turns out!

  7. Hi – this sounds delicious – I notice in your list of substitutes you say instead of tomato sauce . . . but the ingredient list in the recipe does not call for tomato sauce. Should tomato sauce be an ingredient? Thank you.

    1. Oh good point, I think I copied that from my other lebanese stew where I use tomato sauce. I often interchange tomato sauce with tomato paste and vice versa depending on what’s in my pantry. I fixed the substitute so it’s more consistent. Thank you!