Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender bone-in chicken thighs simmered with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a rich broth. Perfect for an easy and comforting meal, it combines seared chicken, carrots, potatoes, peas, and fragrant thyme and rosemary into a thick, delicious stew.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs - extra fat trimmed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Olive oil - 2 tablespoons for searing
Vegetables & 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 & Thickener:
- 5 cups chicken broth, divided (plus more as needed)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Season and Sear Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the seared chicken to a large slow cooker. Tip: Let the chicken sear undisturbed on each side to develop a rich golden crust.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed. Sauté diced onions and sliced carrots for about 5 minutes until softened. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon to deglaze. If spots start to burn, add a splash of chicken broth to loosen them. Add minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Tomato Paste and Broth: Stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables. Pour in ½ to ¾ cup of chicken broth to deglaze further, scraping up any remaining browned bits. Transfer this mixture into the slow cooker over the chicken.
- Add Potatoes, Bay Leaves, and More Broth: Add the quartered potatoes and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Pour in the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Make Flour Slurry and Add Peas: About 3.5 hours into cooking, mix ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour with ⅓ cup of room temperature chicken broth to make a slurry. Stir the slurry and frozen peas into the slow cooker. Continue cooking on HIGH for the remaining 30 minutes to thicken the stew.
- Shred Chicken and Finish: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with a fork, discarding the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the stew along with chopped Italian parsley. Stir well and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Serve the stew warm with bread or biscuits for a comforting meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- If your slow cooker or multi-cooker has a sauté function, you can sear and sauté ingredients directly in the pot to save cleanup.
- Cooking on HIGH for 4 hours yields tender chicken without becoming stringy; cooking on LOW for 6 hours is also an option if texture is not a concern.
- Bone-in chicken thighs add depth of flavor and moisture to the stew; skin-on can be used but remove skin before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead by preparing the stew a day before and reheating gently in a microwave or on the stovetop.
- Substitutions: Boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts can be used instead of bone-in thighs.
- Herb substitutions: Use dried thyme and rosemary adjusting quantities as specified in the ingredients.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes work well; avoid Russet potatoes which may disintegrate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
