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Blackened Chicken Black-Eyed Peas Bowls

These Black-Eyed Peas Bowls with Blackened Chicken are just the thing you need when you're craving some comfort food but want to keep it healthy. It's like when soup meets stew, loaded with flavorful little blackened chicken pieces, tender black-eyed peas, and a few veggies. You can serve it on its own or over rice, spooning the tasty juices all over the rice.

The great part is that this dish is ready in just over a half hour and is very easy to make! If you're looking to try a unique black-eyed peas recipe that is light but flavorful, this is it!

Overhead picture of black eyed peas, chicken, and green beans in a pot
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Healthy black-eyed peas dinner

Many people have black-eyed peas exactly one time a year: on New Year's Day. But there's no reason to not eat these tasty, nutritious little beans the rest of the year! Black-eyed peas can make a healthy addition to so many recipes.

These black-eyed peas chicken and veggie bowls might not be a traditional southern recipe—there's no smoked ham or heavily buttered collard greens—but they're still so so tasty! The veggies pieces of blackened chicken in this recipe are chopped small, so you get delicious flavor and a little bit of everything in every bite.

Close up of blackened chicken bowl with veggies and chicken

The result? A protein-rich, veggie-filled healthy black-eyed peas dinner you can easily make on a weeknight!

Make sure to read all the notes below the recipe for time-saving tips and ingredient substitution ideas!

Related recipe: Black Bean Chicken Soup with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast, diced into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons blackened seasoning (or Cajun seasoning, use less if you are not sure you want a spicy dish, see tips below)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (optional, use only if you blackened seasoning doesn't contain salt!)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced into small pieces (⅓ - ½ inch pieces, about 1.5 cups diced carrots)
  • 8-12 oz fresh green beans (2.5 - 3 cups), ends trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces (not any longer)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes (do not drain! You'll use the juices)
  • 1 (14-oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (about 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas)
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, finely diced (see notes below for substitution ideas)
Ingredients mise en place for black eyed peas with chicken and veggies soup

Related recipe: Blackened Chicken with Veggie Rice

Equipment

  • What type of pot/pan to use: for this recipe, you'll need to brown the chicken, then set it aside and add it back to the dish at the end. You can either get a pan to brown the chicken and then a soup pot to cook the rest of the dish. Or if you have a heavy bottom soup pot or casserole pot (such as this) where you can brown the chicken, you can cook the dish in 1 pan and just set the chicken aside.
  • Medium/large bowl to season the chicken
  • Cutting board or two: You can use 1 cutting board if you chop all the veggies and herbs first and then chop the chicken. Or use 2 cutting boards and save time on prep and cooking, if you're coordinated in the kitchen and don't do mise en place: chop the chicken first and start cooking it, then as the chicken is cooking you can chop the carrots and onion on the second cutting board. Then as the carrots and onions are cooking, you can prep the green beans. 

Related recipe: Chicken Cauliflower Soup

Instructions

Step 1: Combine the diced chicken in a bowl with the blackened seasoning and salt, if using (skip the salt if your seasoning is already salted). Mix together until the chicken is fully coated in seasoning.

Step 2: Preheat a large skillet or a heavy bottom soup/casserole pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the seasoned chicken in a single layer. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for a few minutes until browned, then flip each piece and brown on another side for 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken from heat and set aside.

Browning blackened chicken bites in a pan

Step 3: Lower the heat to medium-low (or grab a soup pot) and add the other tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped carrots and onion. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, taking care not to burn the veggies.

Sauteing carrots and onions

Step 4: Add the chopped green beans, chicken broth, and the diced tomatoes with the juices. Stir together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the green beans are cooked to your liking (about 5-10 minutes if you don't want the green beans too soft). You can add more chicken broth if you want to a more soupy consistency, or you can uncover the pot and let some of the liquid boil off.

Broth and diced tomatoes added to a pot with veggies

Step 5: Add the drained black-eyed peas, cooked chicken, and diced parsley. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Serve hot as a soup, or spoon over rice.

Black eyed peas, blackened chicken bites, and fresh herbs added to a pot

Related recipe: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili with White Beans

Recipe notes and tips

→ Blackened seasoning: every seasoning brand has a different spice level (I used this one). Adjust the amount you use to taste. If you're not sure how much to use and don't want a spicy dish, start with less and add more to the broth once the dish is finished. Check the ingredients to see whether the seasoning contains salt (or give the seasoning a taste). If not, you'll need to season the chicken with a little salt as well.

→ Use whatever veggies you have on hand! You can swap or add any of the following veggies: diced sweet potato instead of carrots, diced potatoes, canned or frozen corn, frozen green peas, etc. Try adding some minced garlic to the onion and carrot mixture.

→ Want to use canned green beans? Drain the liquid and add them in at the very end, since you don't want to cook them too long.

→ Switch up the herbs! This dish works great finished with almost any herbs: fresh cilantro, diced scallions, chives, basil, etc. A pop of fresh green flavor really does help though, so don't skip it!

→ No black-eyed peas? Use any other canned beans that you like! Black beans, white beans, or great northern beans would work great here.

→ Prep ahead: You can dice all the veggies and keep them refrigerated until ready to cook (you can combine the diced carrots and onions, but keep the green beans in a separate dish since those get added to the pot later!). You can season the chicken and keep it refrigerated until ready to cook. 

Related recipe: Blackened Salmon Rice Bowls

New Years recipe idea

If you've come across this black-eyed peas recipe while searching for New Year's Day recipe ideas, may I also recommend these champagne cupcakes, which are perfect for New Year's Eve??

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

Print Recipe
4.92 from 12 votes

Blackened Chicken Black-Eyed Pea Bowls

Easy to make, flavorful, filling, and healthy! This black-eyed pea recipe with blackened chicken can be customized with whatever veggies you have on hand. Read the notes below for tips and substitution ideas.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Author: Kate

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast - diced into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons blackened seasoning - (or Cajun seasoning, use less if you are not sure you want a spicy dish, see tips below)
  • ½ teaspoon salt - (optional, use only if you blackened seasoning doesn't contain salt)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil - divided
  • 1 small onion - finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots - diced into small pieces (⅓ - ½ inch pieces, about 1.5 cups diced carrots)
  • 8-12 oz fresh green beans - (2.5 - 3 cups), ends trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces (not any longer)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 14 oz canned diced tomatoes - (do not drain! You'll use the juices)
  • 14 oz canned black-eyed peas - drained and rinsed (about 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas)
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves - finely diced

Special equipment

Instructions

  • Combine the diced chicken in a bowl with the blackened seasoning and salt, if using (skip the salt if your seasoning is already salted). Mix together until the chicken is fully coated in seasoning.
  • Preheat a large skillet or a heavy bottom soup/casserole pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the seasoned chicken in a single layer. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for a few minutes until browned, then flip each piece and brown on another side for 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken from heat (or from the pot, if using a casserole pot) and set aside.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low (or grab a soup pot) and add the other tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped carrots and onion. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, taking care not to burn the veggies.
  • Add the chopped green beans, chicken broth, and the diced tomatoes with the juices. Stir together and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the green beans are cooked to your liking (about 5-10 minutes if you don't want the green beans too soft). You can add more chicken broth if you want to a more soupy consistency, or you can uncover the pot and let some of the liquid boil off.
  • Add the drained black-eyed peas, cooked chicken, and diced parsley. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Serve hot as a soup, or spoon over rice.

Notes

Recipe notes and tips:
→ What pot/pan to use: You can use a heavy bottom soup pot or casserole pot (such as this), *OR* a large skillet and a soup pot. You'll need to brown the chicken, and then sauté veggies and add broth to a large pot.
→ Blackened seasoning: every seasoning brand has a different spice level. Adjust the amount you use to taste. If you're not sure how much to use and don't want a spicy dish, start with less and add more to the broth once the dish is finished. Check the ingredients to see whether the seasoning contains salt (or give the seasoning a taste). If not, you'll need to season the chicken with a little salt as well.
→ Use whatever veggies you have on hand! You can swap or add any of the following veggies: diced sweet potato instead of carrots, diced potatoes, canned or frozen corn, frozen green peas, etc. Try adding some minced garlic to the onion and carrot mixture.
→ Want to use canned green beans? Drain the liquid and add them in at the very end, since you don't want to cook them too long.
→ No black-eyed peas? Use any other canned beans that you like! Black beans, white beans, or great northern beans would work great here.
→ Prep ahead: You can dice all the veggies and keep them refrigerated until ready to cook (you can combine the diced carrots and onions, but keep the green beans in a separate dish since those get added to the pot later!). You can season the chicken and keep it refrigerated until ready to cook. 
→ Nutrition facts are estimated assuming 4 large dinner-sized portions. This dish can make 6 portions if served over rice or with something else on the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal (17%) | Carbohydrates: 35g (12%) | Protein: 35g (70%) | Fat: 7g (11%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (5%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 74mg (25%) | Sodium: 1069mg (45%) | Potassium: 877mg (25%) | Fiber: 10g (40%) | Sugar: 10g (11%) | Vitamin A: 1007IU (20%) | Vitamin C: 15mg (18%) | Calcium: 92mg (9%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.

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