Spicy Sauteed Chickpeas with Beef & Cilantro

With all of this baking I've been doing (even though I've been sending everything in to The Husband's office or off with friends), I wanted to make something very healthy for dinner and we didn't feel like grilling.

I had found this recipe a few weeks ago over at Kalyn's Kitchen. We love chickpeas/garbanzo beans and it looked like the perfect light, but filling meal.

And that it was. Both Hubby and I really liked this simple dish. With a bit of Sriracha, it was great for us.

For you Richmonders reading this, The Husband said this reminded him of something he'd get at Aziza's during lunchtime. Enough said.

I actually used ground venison in place of ground beef and instead of Spike Seasoning (which we did not have), I used Emeril's Essence. 

Spicy Sauteed Chickpeas with Beef & Cilantro

1 lb. low fat ground beef
1 tsp. plus 1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Spike Seasoning (or use your favorite seasoning for ground beef)
2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drain and save liquid (or use 4 cups cooked chickpeas and save 2 cups cooking water)
chicken stock to add to chickpea liquid if needed to make 2 cups
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chile powder, more or less to taste
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Drain chickpeas into a colander, saving liquid. Add chicken stock to chickpea liquid to make 2 cups, set aside.
Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large deep frying pan over high heat, then add ground beef, crumbling into pieces as you put it into the pan, and seasoning with Spike Seasoning if desired. Use a metal turner to stir and break up the meat while you start to brown it, about 3 minutes. When meat is fairly broken up, add chickpeas. Keeping heat high, saute meat and chickpeas together until meat is well browned and chickpeas are quite brown and starting to pop, about 10 minutes. (If the mixture starts to stick turn down the heat a tiny bit.)

Add ground cumin, ground chipotle chile powder, and minced garlic and cook a minute more. Add reserved cooking liquid (with added stock if needed to make 2 cups). Scrape the bottom of the pan with turner to loosen any browned bits, season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes.

Turn off heat, stir in chopped cilantro and 1 T olive oil. Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper, then serve hot.