Instant Pot Nduja Chicken and Chickpea Stew
A flavorful, high-protein pressure cooker stew with tender chicken thighs, chickpeas, carrots, and celery in a warm nduja broth. Batch-cooked into 6 satisfying, low-calorie portions for seamless meal prep.
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
40 min
Makes
6 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Lu + Lila
Lu created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthSteadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
Comfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Clearer, simpler choices
Let the recipe do the thinking
Clear steps and a complete plate mean fewer decisions when focus is in short supply—and a more substantial meal once you are done.
Notice: focus + energy later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
40 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Knife and cutting board
Time saver
Prep the vegetables and measure pantry ingredients earlier in the day to shorten cook time.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 10 steps complete
Next: Turn on the Instant Pot Sauté function…
- 01
Turn on the Instant Pot Sauté function…
Turn on the Instant Pot Sauté function to high.
Tap card to mark done - 02
Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot…
Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot inner pot for 1 minute until shimmering.
Look for: shimmering
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add chopped onion
Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and diced celery to the pot. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
Look for: vegetables begin to soften
Tap card to mark done - 04
Add minced garlic clove and nduja paste…
Add minced garlic clove and nduja paste to the pot. Stir constantly for 1 minute until aromatic and melted into the vegetables.
Look for: aromatic and melted into the vegetables
Tap card to mark done - 05
Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté…
Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté setting.
Tap card to mark done - 06
Add cut chicken thigh pieces
Add cut chicken thigh pieces, rinsed chickpea, diced zucchini, canned diced tomato, chicken broth, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well to incorporate and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to prevent a burn error.
Tap card to mark done - 07
Secure the Instant Pot lid and turn…
Secure the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes.
Allow: 10 minutes
Tap card to mark done - 08
Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release…
When the cooking time ends, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to perform a quick release for any remaining steam.
Allow: 10 minutes
Tap card to mark done - 09
Remove the lid and stir in fresh…
Remove the lid and stir in fresh chopped spinach. Allow the heat of the stew to wilt the spinach for 2 minutes.
Allow: 2 minutes
Tap card to mark done - 10
Divide the stew equally into 6 meal-prep…
Divide the stew equally into 6 meal-prep containers (roughly 350g or 1.5 cups per serving). Cool completely before sealing and storing in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
Tap card to mark done
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