Classic Chicken Stew is a comforting weeknight dinner made with simple ingredients like chicken thighs, bacon, onion, thyme, and carrots.
When we think of stew, Beef Stew is often the first thing that comes to mind, but this Chicken Stew is just as comforting and delicious. It’s the perfect hearty Soup to serve on a chilly night to warm everybody up.
Sabrina’s Chicken Stew Recipe
This hearty blend of chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and thick creamy broth is the ultimate comfort food and soul-warming meal. The whole recipe takes just under an hour for a classic dinner full of natural flavor and tender bites of buttery chicken. Like other hearty stews, it’s perfect to serve up with some Crusty Bread for dipping and scooping up every bite of rich chicken flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon , chopped
- 5 chicken thighs , boneless skinless
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 stalks celery , sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 carrots , peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 Yukon potatoes , cut into 2-inch chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon on medium heat until crispy then remove, leaving the fat behind.
- Add in the chicken, cooking until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and add in the onions, celery, garlic, carrots, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the butter to the pot, then when melted add the flour and whisk well until the flour is absorbed.
- Whisk in the chicken broth (making sure all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot are removed) then add in the white wine, potatoes, chicken, and bacon. Bring to a simmer.
- Move (uncovered) to the oven and cook for an additional 45-50 minutes.
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
Along with the natural flavors of chicken and veggies, this hearty dish has more going for it. Classic Chicken Stew is also made with crispy bacon and has white wine cooked into the rich, flavorful broth. It’s the perfect soup recipe to make a big pot and serve a crowd. It’s a satisfying classic with more unique and delicious flavors.
What is Chicken Stew?
Chicken Stew is a traditional dish that combines tender chicken pieces, vegetables, herbs, and a savory broth. Unlike chicken noodle soup, this stew has an almost creamy thick broth, thanks to the buttery roux added at the end. The beauty of it lies in its simplicity; it doesn’t rely on intricate spices or complex techniques to deliver its hearty flavor. Instead, the ingredients’ natural flavors shine through in every spoonful of this amazing and easy one-pot meal.
Key Ingredients
- Bacon: Pieces of delicious bacon add a savory and smoky flavor to the stew. The rendered fat from the bacon also serves as a savory base for sauteing the onions and other vegetables.
- Thyme: This aromatic herb has a subtle, slightly woody flavor that complements the chicken and vegetables, adding a delightful herbal note to the overall taste.
- White Wine: Adding white wine elevates the flavors by imparting a mild acidity and a touch of sweetness. The wine also helps to deglaze the pot, incorporating the flavorful browned bits from the chicken and bacon for a rich depth of flavor.
- Potatoes: Yukon potatoes have a waxy texture and creamy flavor, making them perfect for stewing. They hold their shape well during cooking without getting grainy or falling apart.
- Chicken Thighs: As they simmer, the thighs become tender and succulent. The dark meat is perfect for stewing because it is more flavorful and stays deliciously juicy.
- Aromatics: Yellow gives a sweet and aromatic flavor as it softens and caramelizes during cooking. Celery has a delicate flavor and crunch that adds a nice texture, too. With its pungent, aromatic qualities, garlic imparts a robust depth of flavor to the Chicken Stew. Carrots add natural sweetness and earthy flavors, plus a nice vibrant color.
- Roux: Flour is combined with butter to form a roux, which helps thicken the broth, while making it velvety and rich with an extra buttery flavor.
How to Make
Time needed: 1 hour
- Prep time
Preheat your oven. Chop the veggies into even, bite-size pieces.
- Browning meat:
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crispy. When you remove the bacon, leave the fat behind. Add the chicken thighs and brown them on both sides until golden brown.
- Veggies
Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and add the onions, celery, garlic, carrots, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are tender and the vegetables are cooked lightly. Add the butter. Once the butter melts, add the all-purpose flour and mix it all together.
- Broth
Add the chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Next, mix the white wine, potatoes, chicken, and bacon. Let them simmer on medium-low heat.
- Cooking time
ncover the Chicken Stew and cook for 45-50 minutes in the oven.
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yes, Chicken Stew can be made ahead of time. Its flavors often develop further when it’s left to sit overnight. Prepare the stew, cool it, and refrigerate it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, gently reheat it on the stovetop or oven until thoroughly warmed. You can also cut up the veggies and chicken pieces the day before, store them in separate containers, then cook them up as usual.
Nutrition Facts
How to Store
- Store: Don’t leave the cooked stew at room temperature for over 2 hours. Let leftovers cool before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep well for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: It’s best to reheat slowly on the stovetop, bringing it to a simmer and cooking over medium heat until piping hot.
- Freeze: You can also freeze the stew for up to 3 months. When you store it in the freezer, you can divide it into small batches in airtight containers to store in serving sizes. Let the stew thaw before reheating it on the stovetop.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Brown chicken and bacon in a large skillet. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Optionally, you can saute the onions in the bacon grease; otherwise, add them to the cooker.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, then serve your Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with crusty bread.
Frequent Questions
To thicken the broth for this stew, you can create a roux by combining flour with melted butter. The roux helps to absorb excess liquid and create a thicker consistency, making it more hearty and satisfying.
The best chicken for a soup recipe is boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They offer juicier and more flavorful meat than chicken breasts, and their tenderness allows them to simmer in the stew without becoming dry or tough.
Variations
- Flavorings: For extra flavor, mix seasonings like bay leaf, fresh parsley, or oregano. If you add bay leaf, take it out before serving. You can also add extra thyme sprigs for a delicious fresh thyme taste. You could also add some heat by mixing in hot sauce.
- Italian: For an Italian Chicken Stew, combine tomato sauce and tomato paste with Italian seasoning, then add the homemade tomato sauce to the stew. You could also use your favorite Marinara Sauce.
- Cream: To make a creamy chicken stew, add some heavy cream at the end. Add some hearty broth to a measuring cup and chill in the fridge for 4-5 minutes to keep the heavy cream from curdling. Then add the cream to the warm broth and stir the mixture into the stew.
- Vegetables: For more vegetables, add green beans, green onions, a couple of celery stalks, frozen corn, or sweet onion. Swap out some of the potatoes for root vegetables like parsnips, turnips, or rutabagas.
- Chicken: Instead of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, you could use chicken breasts or meat with chicken skin. Once you’ve browned the chicken, it should have delicious crispy skin and tender bites of chicken inside.
- Potatoes: Instead of using Yukon gold potatoes, you could use russet potatoes, baby potatoes, or even sweet potatoes. To replace the potatoes with a different starch, try using white rice.
More Hearty Chicken Soup Recipes
This was so easy to make and beyond delicious
I’ve made this twice in the last month- it’s so good!! It’s in the oven now, adding zoodles and peas to it when it’s done.
It looks delicious. Thank you very much for your receipt.
Looks so good
Will try this, sounds delicious. I’ll omit the bacon, though.
Hi, Sabrina, This recipe looks so good can’t wait to make it when it’s not 90 something degrees outside. what does the white wine contribute to the dish? what kind of white wine to get? alot of recipes say something you would drink. I don’t drink alcohol. but would use it in cooking if I knew what kind to get. aldi’s has a wine selection. what do you suggest for cooking with a white wine and a red wine? any help would be appreciated. Thanks, for sharing the recipe.
Dry red and white wines are recommended for savory dishes. Cooking wines have added salt to add to shelf life and some think it makes the recipe too salty. It’s all a matter of personal preference.