Description
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe: Tender chicken, hearty veggies, and savory broth slow-cooked to perfection. Comforting, flavorful, and easy!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (about 1 cup), diced
- 3 medium carrots (about 1½ cups), sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 2 celery stalks (about 1 cup), chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound/450g), cubed into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups (950ml) chicken broth, low sodium
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken on all sides (about 2-3 minutes per batch). You’re not cooking the chicken through—just developing color and flavor. Transfer the browned chicken to your slow cooker.
- Step 2: In the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed, then add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
- Step 3: Add the cubed potatoes to the slow cooker, arranging them around the chicken and vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the bay leaves, dried thyme, and tomato paste. Stir gently to combine everything, making sure the tomato paste is fully incorporated into the broth.
- Step 4: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chicken should be very tender and the potatoes easily pierced with a fork when done. About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the frozen peas. They’ll cook quickly while maintaining their bright green color.
- Step 5: Once cooking is complete, remove the bay leaves. If you prefer a thicker stew, you can create a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, then stirring it into the hot stew. Let it cook for an additional 15 minutes on HIGH with the lid off to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve hot garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 385 calories per serving
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Sodium: 777 mg
- Fat: 14 grams
- Saturated Fat: 3 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 24 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 38 grams
- Cholesterol: 140 mg