Chicken Stew Recipe (Easy!)
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.
PrintChicken Stew (One Pot 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.
Made this tonight for the first time so followed to a t. Fantastic. Love the fact it’s not soup but stew. Will add to my cold weather dinner rotation.
Thank you!
I made this recipe for dinner today. I added green beans and a pinch if thyme and WOW! I loved it, my family loved it.
Thank you!
Loved it! Added green beans
Love that! Thank you!
This is a great recipe. I must have done something wrong though because my chicken turned into strings in the stew by the time it was ready to serve. I followed your recipe. except I broke the chicken up into small pieces (maybe about the size of olives) before adding to the stew. What could have gone wrong? Did I stir too much? I stirred the soup pot just enough to make sure everything was cooking evenly (about every 5 minutes) until it was done.
Usually chicken turns stringy when it’s overcooked. I’m guessing maybe the chicken chunks were too small to begin with.
Amazing stew!
Made a few times and it’s now a go to!
Xx
Thank you Kim! So glad you love this chicken stew. Appreciate your feedback.
I have this recipe on the stove here in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Smells great, however since I am in Mexico, I am obligated, as part of my residency agreement, to use chili and thereby make the dish Mexican. Instead of potatoes, for roughly the same reason, I elimated the potatoes and used rice instead.
Garry
That sounds wonderful Garry. So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the feedback.
WOW. This truly is an amazing one-pot recipe. I am loving all of the ingredients in this stew, I can almost smell the aroma as it’s cooking. Can’t wait to serve my family this stew.
When making stews, we usually stick to beef, but this one-pot chicken stew looks so light and comforting. It’s the ultimate healthy comfort food!
I love that you used chicken thighs in this chicken stew. It looks like the epitome of comfort food! I am making this asap as I love all flavours here.
I love this one pot chicken stew, it reminds me of my moms recipe. I need to give this one a try. Thank you!
This was delicious! After I had prepped most of the veggies and cooked the chicken I realized I didn’t have any potatoes! It was -25 here in Minnesota so I definitely wasn’t going to the store. I subbed 2/3 cup of orzo instead and it was great! I will definitely make this recipe again. I can’t wait to try more from you!
Great recipe. Was looking for an easy chicken stew and this one was perfect. Had to leave the potatoes in for around 30 minutes instead of 20, but followed everything else as instructed. Thank you, Katya!
That’s great! Thank you Bianca.
The best soup for the cold winter’s, but most of all it awesome anytime. With this soup it very simple and very heartly to warm your belly. You will love every bite, and go back for seconds.
Southern Texas Gal~ PJ~ November 2018
Thanks so much PJ! Glad you enjoyed it.
Good flavour — my preschoolers loved it. Super easy to make.
Thank you!
Omg, this is my third time making this wonderful stew and each time it gets better lol. I added celery and extra herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano today and it turned out even more fantastic. Thank you so much for this recipe, by the way I made it because it’s gonna be 26 degrees tonight so my family and I can be prepared lol.
Wow! Thank you so much. So glad you are enjoying the chicken stew.
This is cooking right now and smells amazing!!
Thank you Bonnye! I hope you enjoy it.
I added a little herbs du Provence and served it with egg noodles. Absolutely delicious. It’s a keeper! I’ve also made your Pasta with baked chicken meatballs in tomato cream sauce for a birthday dinner and it was a huge hit!
That’s great Greg! I so appreciate you leaving your feedback.
I will make this tomorrow in my instant pot and will let folks know how it turns out.
Thank you Theresa!
I followed your instructions and did a seven minute manual pressure then eight minutes natural pressure release and I added fresh rosemary and thyme and the flavor was fantastic. I do recommend thickening the broth once this is completed cooking. I only halved my baby potatoes instead of quarters so they would not turn to much. And I did all my sautéing right in the instant pot
That’s great! Thank you for the feedback Theresa!
This was devine! I added extra veggies and a teaspoon each of parsley and thyme. I cooked it in the instant pot for 15 minutes on high pressure and shredded the chicken. This is going into our regular rotation!
That’s great Stephanie! THank you for sharing. So glad it worked out for you in an instant pot.
Incredibly tasty, comfort food!
Thank you Krissy! So glad to hear you loved it.
Do you have any suggestions for What I need to do to make this without a Dutch oven?
You mean as far as what type of cooking pot to use? Just about any type of soup pot would work.