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.
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.