Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken

• 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, extra fat trimmed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for searing

Vegetables and Herbs

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3 medium red potatoes, quartered or baby red potatoes
• 3 bay leaves, dried or fresh
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley

Liquids and Thickener

• 5 cups chicken broth, divided, plus more as needed
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Season the chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown without disturbing it to develop a good crust. Transfer the seared chicken to the slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, add more olive oil if needed. Sauté the diced onions and sliced carrots for 5 minutes. As the onions release moisture, scrape the brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add a splash of broth if any bits start to burn.
3. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables. Pour in ½ to ¾ cup chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker with the chicken.
4. Add quartered potatoes and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
5. About 30 minutes before the end of cooking (at 3.5 hours), mix ⅓ cup flour with ⅓ cup room-temperature chicken broth to make a slurry. Stir the slurry and frozen peas into the slow cooker. Cook for the remaining 30 minutes. The stew will thicken as it cooks.
6. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, discard the bones, and roughly shred the meat with a fork. Return shredded chicken to the stew and stir in finely chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Serve the stew warm with bread or biscuits. Enjoy your hearty slow cooker chicken stew!

Notes

• If your slow cooker has a sauté or browning function, use it to perform the searing and sauté steps directly in the cooker to save cleanup.
• Cooking on HIGH for 4 hours prevents the chicken from becoming stringy; if preferred, cook on LOW for 6 hours.
• Bone-in chicken thighs add more flavor due to the bones and remain tender and moist.
• If using skin-on chicken, remove the skin from the stew before serving to avoid excess fat.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The stew can be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave or kept warm for a few hours before serving.
• Substitute boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts if preferred.
• Use dried herbs if fresh are unavailable, adjusting quantities accordingly.
• Yukon gold potatoes can be used instead of red potatoes; avoid Russet potatoes as they disintegrate easily.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 700mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g