Slow Cooker Lamb Stew With Chickpeas

By Cybelle Tondu

Published August 6, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 6¼ hours
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
6 hours
Rating
4(72)
Comments
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This rustic dinner party dish requires minimal preparation and lets time do the work to achieve meltingly tender results. Dried chickpeas become velvety under the slow cooker's patient heat, forming a hearty base for succulent lamb without any soaking or searing. Warm spices, garlic and lemon complement and brighten the stew's robust flavors. Serve blanketed in fresh herbs, with flatbread or rice to sop up the rich juices.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds lamb shanks or 2 (1-pound) bone-in lamb shoulder chops

  • Salt

  • Cracked black pepper

  • 1 heaping cup/8 ounces dried chickpeas

  • 2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch slices

  • 6 garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 2 cups chicken broth

  • 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving

  • A handful of mint, basil or cilantro leaves, for serving

  • Flatbread or rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

59 grams carbs; 228 milligrams cholesterol; 1182 calories; 30 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams saturated fat; 74 grams fat; 10 grams fiber; 1403 milligrams sodium; 70 grams protein; 12 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine cumin, paprika and cloves in a large bowl. Place lamb shanks in the bowl and season generously with salt (about 1 teaspoon per pound) and black pepper, then coat evenly with the spices. (For the best flavor, this step can be done up to 48 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.)

  2. Step 2

    In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine chickpeas, onions, garlic, bay leaves and broth. (The chickpeas should be just covered in liquid, since the lamb and onions will release juices as they cook.) Peel wide strips of lemon zest and add to the slow cooker. Place lamb shanks on top (the meat will not be submerged in liquid), cover and cook on high for 6 hours, until lamb and chickpeas are very tender.

  3. Step 3

    Pull away and discard lamb bones from the meat. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze in the juice into the stew. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Top with herbs, and serve with lemon wedges and flatbread or rice.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
72 user ratings
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Comments

So Easy

Coming back the next day to add that it was very greasy. This was alleviated today when I scraped the fat off of cold leftovers before reheating, but only partially.

So Easy

I could not believe I was done when I hit start on my Crock Pot. So easy and tastes like it took way more effort than it did. I of course didn’t see the note to let it sit up to 48 hours for more flavor. I managed 2. I did not think it was too spicy/flavorful like another commenter- it was just right and could have handled more if you felt adventurous. Maybe they added lemon juice before cooking, because they mentioned not adding lemon next time. The recipe only said to add rind, so that’s what I did. Served it with lemon wedges, mint and flatbread.

Gary

Way too spicy,cut them all in half and leave the lemon out. Should have gotten some chutney and flatbread on the way home.

Dan

I'm no stranger to cooking either chickpeas or lamb shanks, neither is in much danger of being overcooked, so went with my instincts and soaked the chickpeas while the dry brine progressed. Six hours didn't fit with my plans, so it went on "low" for 10 hours and for another hour or so after removing the bones.

Janet

This was great! I used “volcano” lamb shanks. Perfect spice level! It was in the fridge for 24 hours with the dry rub. And not greasy at all. I read the comments about the chickpeas not being done, so I let it go for 7 hours in the slow cooker, then it sat for half an hour or so, and the chickpeas were just fine. I didn’t soak them beforehand. I understand that this also is affected by how fresh your dried beans are; the older they are, the longer they take to cook. Anyway, this was delicious, and I know it will be even better as leftovers! :)

Erin

This was excellent. I substitute lamb bone broth instead of chicken stock. I added 1 c pomegranate (POM) juice and added 6 red cherries. It was delicious! I served it with wild brown rice. It was a big hit!

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