When you’re craving a meal that is warm, comforting, and incredibly satisfying, this Hearty Chicken Stew Recipe is the perfect answer. This is one of the Best Chicken Stew Recipes you will ever make—a thick, rich, and savory stew loaded with fall-apart tender chicken and a medley of hearty vegetables. This is a true one-pot wonder, and using the slow cooker makes this Chicken Stew Recipe Easy enough for any day of the week. It’s a complete, wholesome, and delicious meal that the whole family will love.
Why This is the Best Chicken Stew Recipe
This isn’t just a simple soup; it’s a full, satisfying meal that defines comfort.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tender Chicken: This Tender Chicken Stew benefits from the slow cooker, which transforms simple chicken into unbelievably tender, juicy bites.
- Rich and Flavorful Broth: Searing the chicken and using a good quality broth creates a deep, savory flavor that makes this the Best Damn Chicken Stew Recipe.
- Set It and Forget It: After a few minutes of prep, your slow cooker does all the work, filling your home with the most incredible aroma.
- A Complete, Hearty Meal: This Chicken Stew With Vegetables is packed with protein and hearty veggies, making it a satisfying all-in-one dinner.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
This recipe uses classic, wholesome ingredients for a truly authentic taste.
The Ingredient Lineup:
- 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
- For Garnish: Fresh parsley, chopped
Step-by-Step Instructions
A quick sear before slow cooking is the key to the deep flavor in this Chicken Stew Recipe Crock Pot version.
Part 1: Prepare the Chicken and Vegetables
- Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer and sear on all sides until golden brown. This step adds a huge amount of flavor.
- Layer in Slow Cooker: Place the seared chicken, diced carrots, celery, onion, cubed potatoes, minced garlic, and bay leaves into your slow cooker.
Part 2: Combine and Cook
- Make the Broth: In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and tomato paste until smooth.
- Combine in Crockpot: Sprinkle the dried thyme, salt, and pepper over the ingredients in the slow cooker. Pour the broth mixture over everything.
- Thicken (Optional): If you prefer a thicker stew from the start, you can whisk the ¼ cup of flour into your broth mixture before pouring it in.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the vegetables are soft.
Part 3: Finish and Serve
- Final Touches: Remove the bay leaves from the stew. If you didn’t add flour at the beginning and want a thicker stew, you can make a slurry with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH.
- Serve Hot: Ladle the hearty chicken stew into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with a side of crusty bread for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the best chicken to use for a stew? For the most tender and flavorful result, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the best choice for a Hearty Chicken Stew Recipe. They have a bit more fat, which keeps them moist and tender during the long cooking time. However, chicken breasts also work well.
2. Can I make this a Gluten Free Chicken Stew? Yes, this is an easy recipe to make gluten-free. To thicken the stew, simply use a gluten-free alternative to the all-purpose flour. A slurry made from 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with cold water and stirred in at the end of cooking works perfectly.
3. What can I add for more flavor? This is a great base recipe to customize. For a richer flavor, you can add a splash of white wine to the skillet to deglaze it after searing the chicken. You could also add other vegetables like mushrooms or peas (stir in frozen peas at the very end). Some people even love to make this a Chicken Stew With Dumplings by placing biscuit dough on top of the stew during the last hour of cooking.
4. How do I store and reheat leftovers? Store any leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors will get even better overnight! Reheat it gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, until warmed through.
Hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Knife and cutting board
- serving spoon
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas (stirred in at the end)
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place chicken, carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic into the slow cooker.
- Whisk together chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour over ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until chicken and vegetables are tender.
- Stir in frozen peas during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot with crusty bread.