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Made with simple ingredients, this Chicken Stew is perfect for dinner tonight. It’s so healthy, hearty, and flavorful without a ton of effort. This easy one-pot meal comes together with just a few simple steps; the hardest part is the patience you’ll need as this cozy stew simmers. Perfect for colder months, enjoy the stew with crusty bread for a truly comforting meal.
If you’re a fan of classic chicken soup, then you’ll love this chicken stew recipe. It’s a heartier version of chicken soup packed with healthy goodness. It is unbelievably flavorful, and all you need are simple everyday ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen. No one wants to make an extra trip to the store on a cold day! It’s perfect with a side of crusty french bread but also a simple salad.
This stew will warm you from the inside out, and you’ll have it ready in a jiffy. Done in just over an hour and all in one pot for easy cleanup, a big bowl of stew filled with tender pieces of chicken, potatoes, and carrots is just what you need on a cold winter day. Need another cozy dinner for this week? Try my easy baked ziti recipe or comforting lentil soup recipe. You’ll want to make all of these recipes all winter long.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken thighs — I recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs as the dark meat is much more flavorful than white meat.
Mirepoix — a key component in many stews and soups, a mirepoix is made of a mix of aromatics, mainly onions, carrots, and celery. While these humble ingredients may not seem like a lot, these three ingredients add a significant layer of flavor.
Flour — you’ll need flour to help thicken the stew. If you do not have flour, you can also use cornstarch in a pinch. You’ll only need half the amount as it’s a more durable thickener.
Baby potatoes — I use baby white potatoes, especially Boomer Gold, as the thin skin means I can skip peeling the potatoes before adding them into the chicken stew. If you can’t find baby potatoes, you can use regular potatoes, just cube them first. If you only have russet potatoes, be sure to peel them.
Herbs — you’ll need bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and parsley. These add a ton of flavor to this chicken stew recipe, so don’t leave them out!
How to Make Chicken Stew
1. Cut the carrots, onions, and celery into small pieces.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Sear the chicken in batches, until lightly browned for about 2 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, carrot, onion, and celery. Cook, frequently stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and flour. Cook, constantly stirring, for 2 minutes.
5. Slowly stir in the chicken broth.
6. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
7. Add the cut chicken and potatoes to the pot.
8. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Bring the stew to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the stew is thickened, for about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in parsley into the chicken stew just before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- For an even more comforting bowl of chicken stew, stir in a few tablespoons of cream with the parsley right before serving to make it creamier!
- For a thicker stew, remove a few potatoes, mash them, and add it back to the stew. Simmer to combine.
- Did you forget to add the flour? Don’t add it directly into the hot liquid, as it’ll become lumpy. Make a slurry by combining some room-temperature broth or water with the flour before adding it to the stew.
- Other vegetables you can add are chopped cauliflower, chopped broccoli, sliced mushrooms, red peppers, and peas.
- Don’t clean or swap the pot after searing the chicken. The browning from the searing of the chicken and sautéing of the vegetables add so much flavor. Always scrape up the browning on the bottom of the pan when you add the broth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts?
If you want to use chicken breasts instead, you might need to cook in more batches as they’re larger than thighs. However, chicken breasts may come out tough as there’s not a lot of fat compared to chicken thighs. If you really want to use chicken breasts, I suggest using bone-in chicken breasts for a little more flavor and then shred the meat off the bone instead of cutting it to add back into the soup.
Can you overcook stew?
You might think that additional cooking time may lead to more tender chicken but overcooking the chicken stew will lead to tough chicken! Stewing chicken leads to tender pieces of chicken but overcooking them, especially on high heat, will make the chicken chewy instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender.
How do I store leftovers?
Store any leftover chicken stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Simply reheat the stew in the microwave or on the stovetop. While you can freeze leftovers, keep in mind that the texture of the potatoes may not be the same once thawed and reheated.
If you’ve tried this Chicken Stew recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil divided (60mL)
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (675g)
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 1 pound baby potatoes (450g)
- 6 cups chicken broth (1.5L)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, carrot, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the broth.
- Cut the chicken into 1 -inch cubes. Add to the pot with the potatoes, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the stew is thickened, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in parsley just before serving.
Notes
- For an even more comforting bowl of chicken stew, stir in a few tablespoons of cream with the parsley right before serving to make it creamier!
- For a thicker stew, remove a few potatoes, mash them, and add it back to the stew. Simmer to combine.
- Did you forget to add the flour? Don’t add it directly into the hot liquid, as it’ll become lumpy. Make a slurry by combining some room-temperature broth or water with the flour before adding it to the stew.
- Other vegetables you can add are chopped cauliflower, chopped broccoli, sliced mushrooms, red peppers, and peas.
- Don’t clean or swap the pot after searing the chicken. The browning from the searing of the chicken and sautéing of the vegetables add so much flavor. Always scrap up the browning on the bottom of the pan when you add the broth.
Nutrition
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