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.
My family loves this recipe! For gluten free folks,
can you substitute corn starch for the flour?
This is a great starter recipe, which then allows for individual additions (of veggies, herbs…)
Very tasty will be having again yummy ????
Delicious! Loved it!
I just made this recipe last night for myself and my two picky roommates, and it was a hit! The only change I made was I added celery.
I would recommend adding the potatoes sooner or making sure you cut your other veg into chunks that are fairly large. I followed the timing in the recipe and felt like my carrots especially were overcooked. Otherwise, delicious and easy recipe. Will be making this again!
This was OK – I wasn’t totally blown away as my family and I thought it was ‘tasty’ in the sense that all the flavour clearly came from the broth, and i use only organic, locally grown veggies and produce. I used this recipe as a base then did this: Season and fry chicken off as per the original recipe. Then fry off small cubed onion, garlic, celery and potato, in butter until softened. Add a splash of white wine to de-glaze the pan. At this point you can go two avenues – add curry paste and fry for a further 30 seconds until fragrant and add in chicken and stock. OR add in fresh thyme, rosemary and sage and fry off for a further 30 seconds until the herb oil comes out. Add in carrot, more celery (larger chunks), stock and the chicken as per original recipe. After 10 minutes, add in the potato (I found waiting the time in the original recipe made all my other veg too overcooked). Even better, if you can do in a slow cooker, this makes and even better recipe.
Maybe try a totally different recepie!
Absolutely delicious!! I admit I improvised quite a bit— I went the curry route and seasoned my chicken and vegatvkes with curry powder, cumin, and turmeric. I also added celery, corn, tomatoes to the list of vegetables. Perfect with a buttery hunk of cornbread!
I’d like to try this recipe but whenever I freeze potatoes in stews they end up with a really funky taste and texture. Are the potatoes in this stew ok?!
I think it’s just the potatoes in general regardless of the recipe. Sometimes they do get a little mushy when frozen.
Sounds good! Is the 1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs weight before or after it is deboned and skinned?
After the skin and bones removed. Boneless, skinless, thighs work great for this recipe.
Simple and delicious! Just what the doctor ordered 😉 or better ha ha
Absolutely perfect! I made a double batch and froze some; had the first frozen batch today and my husband said, “That’s so good I even ate the carrots!” If you knew the depth of his hatred for carrots you would understand what a huge compliment that is ???? I will definitely be making this again and again, especially since it freezes and then reheats so we’ll.
Oh my gosh this Soup is so good! Made it exactly like the recipe said. I am here with my sister, who just found out she has Bladder cancer, to cook for her and her husband. They couldn’t get enough of the soup.
Excellent as is the only addition for my husband was frozen sliced okra and mushrooms since we didn’t use potatoes
Excellent. Had it for our ???????? Canadian Thanksgiving. And it went over really well! I used bone in, for extra flavour, pull thighs out, let thighs cool abit, and meat comes off perfect. I add it back in after thickening the delicious broth so it becomes an awesome gravy, let cook a bit more to warm up. ???? Merci beaucoup ????????
I made this stew tonight and it was so delicious, and so easy to make. I followed the recipe as is, although did use reduced sodium chicken broth. Thanks for the great recipe! Can’t wait to make it again.
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! THank you!
SOOOO Delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! While we all love beef stew in our family; it’s nice to have an alternative to beef and use the always flavorful chicken thighs!(our favorite!) This is a DEFINITE keeper! I’ll be making this again! My family LOVED it! I “cheated” and used frozen peas & carrots instead of just carrots. I also used my own homemade veggie stock instead of chicken stock, because that’s what I had on hand.. It’s such a comforting and satisfying stew especially on a cold, snowy night!! (Served it with cornbread). Makes you feel warm & cozy! YUM!
Homemade veggie stock sounds delish! Thanks for the feedback Lina. So glad to hear you loved it.
I forgot to mention that I also love your comment about life being too short to wear “boring shoes”!! I completely agree with you!! I make the veggie stock in my slow cooker after collecting veggie “scraps” in a gallon size freezer bag (like onion skins; carrots peelings, broccoli stalks, asparagus trimmings; etc.) Sooo good and I can control the sodium! Thanks again!
Glad to hear that. Thank you!
Loved this recipe, made a few tweaks the second time to reduce carbs and salt:
– used olive oil
– increased chicken thighs to 2lbs, fat trimmed
– increased carrots from 3 to 5
– 1 large white onion in lieu of medium sweet onion
– added 8oz of chopped baby Bella mushrooms after sautéing the onions, carrots and garlic (instead of potatoes)
– no flour slurry
– added 3 sprigs of thyme before simmering
Simple and so delicious! I (and my husband) were so pleasantly surprised at how full of flavour this was and with ingredients you can readily find from the kitchen!
Thank you!
I don’t have a dutch oven, will this recipe turn out the same in a regular stockpot?
It will. You want something with a heavy-duty bottom.
I added some curry powder when I added in the flour and water mixture. It was delicious!
I’m making this recipe today. Wanted to know if I could let it summer all day on low? Was going to start it now but don’t want to have it till little bit later.
I would not let it simmer all day. It’s going to be overcooked.
I saw someone mention the instant pot, but would a slow cooker also work? Sear the chicken and then maybe cook on low 8hrs?
You can try it. I know you can make chicken stew in a crockpot. I just haven’t tried it so I can’t answer with certainty.
I made this in the slow cooker and it was delicious. I cooked it on high for 4 hours and changed it to low for 2 hours.
Happy to hear that! thank you for feedback.
I made this tonight, it was delicious! Instead of thighs I used drumsticks and it tasted perfect. Maybe because of the broth I used, I need to go easier on salt the next time I make this. Also, by the time we were done there wasn’t much liquid left, do you think it works to just add more chicken broth the next night so it can be more like soup? thanks!
You definitely can add a little more broth if you want it to be more like soup. But if you want it to be a little thicker consistency you would need to add a little more flour too if adding more broth.