Chicken Stew Recipe
This hearty one-pot chicken stew recipe practically cooks itself! It’s made all in one-pot with tender chunks of chicken and savory veggies.
Love comforting recipes? Try our Creamy Chicken Stew or Crustless Chicken Pot Pie.
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Deliciously Simple Chicken Stew!
This chicken stew is a readers’ favorite around here. It gets five-star reviews for its rustic, hearty, and delicious taste.
It’s a delicious meal made in one pot, with simple ingredients such as tender chicken and veggies –all simmered in the best-seasoned broth.
All you need is some crusty sourdough garlic bread or pillowy soft cheesy popovers and you have yourself a perfect comfort meal.
Video: How to Make Chicken Stew
Chicken Stew Ingredients
The reason why this chicken stew is a favorite around here is that it’s made with simple, pantry ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need for the stew:
- Chicken thighs: For best flavor use boneless, skinless thighs. I do not recommend chicken breast or rotisserie chicken.
- Avocado oil: You’ll need high-smoke oil, such as avocado oil or something similar for searing chicken thighs and vegetables.
- Vegetables: Carrots, sweet onion, and baby potatoes. Cut your vegetables into larger chunks so they do not overcook. Carrots should be sliced 1/2-inch thick. Slice the onion into 12 wedges. Baby white potatoes or Yukon golds are the best potatoes for the stew. Baby potatoes should be quartered and Yukon golds cut into about 1 3/4-inch chunks.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic. Avoid jarred or anything pre-chopped.
- Chicken broth or stock: Either one is fine to use. Use good-quality stock, whether homemade chicken stock or store-bought. Bone broth is even better if you don’t mind spending a little more.
- All-purpose flour: This will thicken the stew.
- Bay leaf: Feel free to use dried or fresh bay leaves. Dried bay leaves are easier to find at most supermarkets in the spice aisle. A lot of times you can find fresh bay leaves in the produce section near fresh herbs.
- Fresh parsley: Not a fan of parsley? Try fresh dill instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Stew
- Over high heat, cook chicken until brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Add carrots and onions. Cook until the onions begin to soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Deglaze the dutch oven with some of the chicken stock.
- Make a slurry by whisking flour with 1/2 cup broth in a small bowl. Add to the dutch oven.
- Stir in chicken, remaining broth, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 25 minutes over medium-low heat. Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in parsley and discard bay leaf before serving.
Chicken Stew Recipe Tips
- Use chicken thighs. For best results use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. They have extra flavor after searing and also simmer into tender little morsels. Make sure to cut the thighs into 2-inch chunks so they do not overcook.
- Avoid using chicken breast. I do not recommend chicken breast in this recipe. It won’t be as tender and flavorful as the thighs. Plus chicken breast is easy to overcook.
- Crockpot feedback. Many of you have asked if this recipe can be made in a crockpot. Recently I tested this recipe in a crockpot and the result was just not the same. Chicken stew is all about building flavor and texture by searing the meat, then the vegetables and aromatics, which is impossible to do in a crockpot. Therefore, I do not recommend making this stew in a crockpot.
How to Make Stew Thicker?
This chicken stew recipe is not overly thick as some stew recipes out there but you can easily change that. Here are a few ways to make the stew thicker:
- Create a thicker slurry. A slurry is a combination of flour and broth which is mixed together and used to thicken the stew. Feel free to add an extra tablespoon of flour to the broth to create a thicker slurry. For a gluten-free option, use arrowroot powder.
- Simmer with the lid off. Make sure to simmer the stew with the lid off for the last 18-20 minutes of cooking. That way the liquid is reduced as more water evaporates, resulting in a thicker stew.
Chicken Stew Recipe FAQs
Basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon are some of the most common herbs to pair with chicken.
Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins to make chicken stew richer. For example, you can add soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for an umami taste. Or, include honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for a bright taste, or chili powder, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
Yes, overcooking chicken stew will cause the chicken to become tough and dry. Allow it to simmer just long enough for the ingredients to soften and cook through. Then, remove the stew from the heat.
Avoid raw meat, and sear it for flavor before adding it to stew. Also, choose fattier cuts of meat and not lean protein for better texture and more flavor. Skip delicate veggies like zucchini and greens as they’re prone to overcooking. Finally, avoid using cornstarch to thicken stew. This will turn it into more of a gravy. Instead, coat the meat in flour or cornstarch before adding it to the pot.
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If you try Chicken Stew Recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how you like the recipe in the comments below.
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Stewed Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This hearty one-pot chicken stew practically cooks itself! It’s made all in one-pot with tender chunks of chicken and savory veggies. Enjoy it with crusty bread for an ultimate cold weather meal!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 Tbsp. avocado oil, divided
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 12 wedges
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 5 cups chicken broth or stock, divided
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 12 oz. baby white potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken with a few sheets of paper towel and season thoroughly with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottom dutch oven or a soup pot over high heat. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. The goal here is to simply brown the chicken on the outside and extract some of its flavor. Make sure to use high heat, otherwise, the chicken will steam out and not brown. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to a medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add carrots and onions. Cook, stirring often until onions begin to soften and tips turn golden, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, while stirring nonstop. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth while stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the dutch oven.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup broth; add to the dutch oven. Stir in chicken and remaining 4 cups of chicken broth. Add bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, partially covered.
- Add potatoes and cook uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 18-20 minutes. If needed, increase the heat so the stew is at a gentle simmer. Also taste the broth for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Stir in parsley and discard bay leaf before serving.
Notes
- Leftovers: Leftover chicken stew will last in the refrigerator for about 3 days. I do not recommend freezing as it will change the texture of the potatoes and the consistency of the broth.
- Using the crockpot: Many of you have asked if this recipe can be made in a crockpot. Recently I tested this recipe in a crockpot and the result was just not the same. Chicken stew is all about building flavor and texture by searing the meat, then the vegetables and aromatics, which is impossible to do in a crockpot. Therefore, I do not recommend making this stew in a crockpot.
- A few of my favorites for making this recipe are these cutting boards and a heavy-duty dutch oven .
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 486
- Sugar: 12.1 g
- Sodium: 679.7 mg
- Fat: 14.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.6 g
- Protein: 44.9 g
- Cholesterol: 168.8 mg
Recipe originally published on 10/11/2016.
Hi, is it Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth that should be used? I see the word stock, but I see broth pictures. Does it matter? Thanks!
Hi Claudia: you can use either one. Chicken stock is made more out of bony parts of the chicken whereas chicken broth is made more out of chicken meat.
I’m making this now but it does not look anything like the picture. It looks pale, like the color of the chicken broth. Not as hearty as shown. Did I miss an ingredient? I know the parsley is thrown in at the end.
Thank you!
Did you add in your flour mixture? It’s supposed to be more on the thick side. Did you simmer the stew long enough?
This stew is really the color of chicken soup and not dark as it appears in the picture. The broth is not very thick either. The stew part really comes in with the large chunks of veggies and chicken and the fact that the broth to chick/veggies is greater than with a soup.
I added chilli flakes, paprika and tarragon…delicious!!!
That sounds so good! Thanks Jenn.
Good morning!
I’ve made this recipe before a few times, with great success!
I have added some tomato puree, and some basil, and it was glorious.
However, the initial recipe is just so classic. I might do the sour cream next time…
Thank you, SO MUCH for warming our hearts and bellies!
Sincerely,
Jimmy
Thank you James! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe! Thank you for your feedback.
thank you so much we tried this and it’s was extremely tasty, will definitely be having. this again
Thank you!
Can I use whole thighs with bone and legs
Definitely! I would just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Made this in crockpot & works! Boiled & cut up chicken then added all to pot for 8 hrs. Thirty minutes before serving, turned pot to low/warm & took out about 4 cups of liquid to pan on stove and did a beurre manie (see http://www.finecooking.com/article/thicken-stews-with-beurre-manie) until desired thickness. Added that back to pot, stirred, & served (note: stew kept consistency 2 hrs later when another family member arrived). I served with biscuits. YUM!!
Thank you for sharing Tammy! So glad you loved the stew.
i made this last night and my family flipped out! i’m not a good cook and it tasted AMAZING! i followed it to the tee. used bobs redmill gluten free flour as my daughter is intolerant, turned out perfect. im adding this to my family recipe book :))
That’s awesome Carly! SO glad your family loved it. I appreciate your feedback.
I just found this recipe today and made it. I modified it by browning some chorizo before the chicken and adding crushed red pepper at the simmer. The whole family enjoyed it. Thank you.
That’s great! Thank you so much for your positive. feedback.
Thank you for sharing!
Nutrition Facts does not list the serving size???
Hi Dave: I would suggest online nutrition calculator for more accurate nutrition facts. Thanks.
Made this tonight and it was absolutely DELICIOUS! My husband and I both loved it!
That’s great Carol! So glad you both enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your positive feedback.
Made this today and it’s AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much for such good recipe, definitely a keeper!
Thank you Olga for your feedback. So glad you loved it!
Hi Katya. This recipe is truly a keeper. Delicious! I used 2 pretty good sized chicken breast, and it did not dry out at all. Glad I found you! Thank you
That’s great to know! Thank you Debra for your feedback. So glad you loved the chicken stew.
I don’t eat beef and have been looking for a thick chicken stew and this looks amazing…i recently got an instant pot and was wondering if I can use it for this recipe….has anyone tried this in a pressure cooker or slow cooker?
Hi: I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker or pressure cooker but maybe some of the readers can give you some feedback.
Can I ask why you don’t put the potatoes and chicken in together, cover it and just leave it in the oven on a slow cook? Why add the potatoes late and cook uncovered?
Hi Jimi: you can certainly try that. Searing meat first brings out a lot of flavor before adding in the rest of the ingredients. You want to keep the pot uncovered in order for some of the liquid to reduce in the time indicated. Hope that answers your question.
How would this do with chicken breast?
Hi Kim: I think it will be okay. You may lose a bit of flavor but otherwise you’ll just have a leaner stew.
Hi i have tried your recipe with chicken and it taste amazing. I was wondering if it can be replaced with meat?
Are you referring to red meat? As in beef? I’m assuming you can tweak the recipe to include the red meat but as far as cooking times, I can’t really answer as I haven’t personally tried it.
Hi i have tried your recipe and it taste amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Yana!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe. I ended up adapting it to suit my diner, but really appreciated how approachable this recipe was. They loved the end product, and I did too. Thank you~!
That’s awesome! Thanks so much Adrian. I appreciate you leaving me a feedback.