A recipe made with Lila

Instant Pot Chicken Chickpea and Vegetable Stew

A heart-warming pressure-cooked stew made with tender chicken thighs, chickpeas, white beans, and fresh garden vegetables. Perfectly portioned into six high-fiber meal prep lunches.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Makes

6 servings

Instant Pot Chicken Chickpea and Vegetable Stew, prepared as a finished Lila recipe
45g protein17g fiberHigh ProteinHigh Fiber
L

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 Health

Steadier 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

Digestive comfort

A portion that works for you

Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.

Notice: comfort + portion

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

Setup

Get set up

Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.

Start cooking

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

How many are you cooking for?

The ingredient amounts update automatically.

6 servings

Equipment

Basic kitchen utensils

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

0 of 12 ready

Ingredients

Cook along

Instructions

0 of 8 steps complete

Next: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode…

  1. 01

    Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode…

    Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add 5ml olive oil, allowing it to heat for 1 minute.

    Allow: 1 minute

    Tap card to mark done
  2. 02

    Add 40g diced yellow onion and 6g…

    Add 40g diced yellow onion and 6g minced garlic to the pot, sautéing for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.

    Look for: softened and fragrant

    Tap card to mark done
  3. 03

    Add 130g boneless skinless chicken thighs

    Add 130g boneless skinless chicken thighs, 50g sliced carrots, 40g sliced celery, and 60g diced courgette to the pot.

    Tap card to mark done
  4. 04

    Pour in 50ml passata

    Pour in 50ml passata, 200ml chicken broth, 80g drained chickpeas, and 80g drained cannellini beans, stirring to combine thoroughly.

    Tap card to mark done
  5. 05

    Secure the Instant Pot lid

    Secure the Instant Pot lid, turn the steam release valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 12 minutes.

    Allow: 12 minutes

    Tap card to mark done
  6. 06

    Allow the Instant Pot to natural pressure…

    Allow the Instant Pot to natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining steam.

    Allow: 10 minutes

    Tap card to mark done
  7. 07

    Remove the lid

    Remove the lid, stir in 30g fresh spinach until wilted, and season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

    Look for: wilted, and season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper

    Tap card to mark done
  8. 08

    Portion into 6 equal glass storage containers

    Portion into 6 equal glass storage containers, allowing them to cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating for up to 4 days.

    Tap card to mark done

Made this recipe?

Leave a quick rating or a cooking tip for the next woman.

Your symptoms change. Your plan should too.

One good meal is a start. Your whole week is better.

Tell Lila what you like, what you avoid and which symptoms are loud today. She’ll turn that context into meals, targets and small adjustments that fit real life.

Get StartedFree to download