Okay guys, this chicken stew recipe is definitely at the top of my list of all-time favorite recipes! Chicken Stew is thicker and heartier than chicken soup, but lighter than a beef stew. The flavor is absolutely on point, it’s totally cozy, and it’s just one of those things that I could happily eat for three meals per day and still want more the next day. With nearly 200 5-star reviews, you have to try this chicken stew!
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“Very glad I tried this recipe. It turned out really good and was pretty straight forward. Everyone enjoyed it. Will make again. Very yummy and comforting.”
colleen
cozy chicken stew
This easy chicken stew is comfort in a bowl—packed full of hearty vegetables floating in a rich, thick gravy-like broth. It’s the perfect meal on a chilly fall or winter day. I used a classic mirepoix mix of onion, carrot, and celery, plus a little garlic, which gives this stew a rich and hearty flavor, tons of color and texture, and the potatoes make the stew even more hearty.
One thing to remember is to not rush the process; let the stew simmer for the full amount of time so you allow the flavors to fully develop. And, don’t forget to have a few slices of bread on the side, to sop up all the delicious gravy.
Recipe Success Tips
- Use chicken thighs. Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender, even with a long cook time, and have TONS of flavor. You could use bone-in and remove the bones later, if desired.
- Make sure to brown the chicken well. All of the brown bits (called “fond”) stuck to the bottom of the pot after browning the chicken give flavor to the gravy as well as a nice, deep color.
- Pat the chicken pieces dry before mixing with flour. Or they won’t brown in the pot because of the moisture.
- Rotisserie chicken. A few readers have informed me they used cooked rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken thighs. Add the pre-cooked chicken at the end of the simmering process.
- Use good quality broths. Skip boxed broth and opt for something full-flavored. I like Better Than Bouillon, which really packs a flavor punch. Homemade broth is great, too!
- Play around with the herbs. I used parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage for true fall flavors, but you can substitute with what you’ve got on hand. Poultry seasoning is also an option.
- Make it gluten-free. Use a gluten-free flour or cornstarch. Check the broth labels to make sure they are gluten-free.
Chicken Stew
Cost $11.97 recipe / $1.99 serving
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.58)
- 3 ribs celery ($0.36)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- ½ lb. carrots ($0.57)
- 1¾ lbs. chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, $6.85)
- 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour (divided, $0.02)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.20)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)
- 1½ lbs. baby potatoes (cubed Yukon also work, $1.96)
- 1 tsp dried parsley ($0.10)
- ½ tsp dried thyme ($0.05)
- ½ tsp dried rosemary ($0.05)
- ½ tsp dried sage ($0.05)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- 2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
- 2 cups vegetable broth ($0.26)
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, optional, $0.10)
Video
Instructions
- Dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, slice the carrots, and cut the baby potatoes in half before you begin.
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp flour over the chicken and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Add the butter and olive oil to a large pot. Heat the butter and oil over medium until they are hot and sizzling.
- Add the flour-coated chicken to the pot with the butter and oil and allow the chicken to brown on all sides (avoid stirring until browned on the bottom). When the chicken is browned and there is a nice brown layer of flour on the bottom of the pot, remove the chicken to a clean bowl with a slotted spoon. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point, just browned on the outside.
- Add the onion, celery, garlic, and carrots to the pot and continue to sauté until the onions are soft. Use the moisture released by the vegetables to dissolve and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Once the vegetables are slightly softened, add the remaining 2 Tbsp flour to the pot and continue to sauté over medium for about two minutes more. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pot again.
- Return the browned chicken to the pot. Also add the potatoes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, pepper, chicken broth, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and dissolve any flour off the bottom of the pot.
- Place a lid on the pot and allow it to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow the stew to simmer over medium-low, without a lid and stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened.
- Taste the stew and add salt if needed (I did not add any, but it will depend on the salt content of the broth you used). Add a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley if desired, and serve hot.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chicken Stew Step-by-Step Photos
Chop the veggies: Dice one yellow onion, slice ½ lb. carrots (3-4 carrots) and 3 ribs of celery, and mince 4 cloves garlic.
Chop the potatoes: Chop about 1½ lbs. of potatoes into 1-inch pieces. I used baby potatoes, so they only needed to be cut in half.
Coat the chicken: Chop about 1¾ lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour over the chicken pieces and toss until they’re coated.
Brown the chicken: Add 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large pot. Heat the butter and oil over medium heat until hot and sizzling. Add the chicken thigh pieces and cook them until browned on all sides (the chicken does not need to be cooked through, just browned on the outside). Avoid stirring too often, as that will prevent browning. You want the flour to brown a bit on the bottom of the pot. Remove the browned chicken to a clean plate or bowl.
Sauté the veggies: Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot after removing the chicken. Continue to sauté over medium for about 5 minutes, allowing the moisture released by the vegetables to dissolve some of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Once the vegetables are slightly softened, add 2 more tablespoons all-purpose flour. Continue to sauté for about 2 minutes more. The flour will again begin to coat the bottom of the pot.
Add the chicken back to the pot: Return the browned chicken to the pot along with the potatoes, 1 tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp dried sage, about ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, 2 cups chicken broth, and 2 cups vegetable broth.
Stir everything to combine and dissolve any flour off the bottom of the pot.
Simmer: Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow it to come up to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid and turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow the stew to simmer over medium-low, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened.
Taste and adjust: Give the stew a taste and add salt, if needed (I did not add any, but this will largely depend on the salt content of the broth you used).
Serve: Add freshly chopped parsley, if desired, and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken stew is truly a one-pot meal, but I almost always serve it with some kind of bread to soak up every last bit once the bowl is empty. Classic dinner rolls are perfect if I’m making everything the same day, while my no knead focaccia bread is a great option when I’m craving something a little softer and chewier. If I want to round out the meal, I’ll add a lentil and cranberry salad on the side—it pairs beautifully with the stew and is especially delicious during the winter months.
Storage Instructions
This chicken stew gets even tastier the next day! Divide the stew into single-serving portions, then refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this stew in a large container or single-serving portions for up to 3 months. Make sure to label and date! Refrigerated or frozen chicken stew can be reheated using the microwave or in a saucepot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring often.
Absolutely delicious recipe. I added extra carrots and for the broth I used vegetable and beef bouillon as that’s what I had on hand. Used “heaping” tsp for the seasonings. Otherwise followed exactly as is. Scrumptious and cozy meal while fending off the snow storm chills!
I want to make this but both my husband and I are not fans of chicken thighs. What cooking method would you suggest for using chicken breasts instead?
I wouldn’t change much! Chicken thighs can be cooked longer without getting tough like breasts, so just make sure not to over cook them!
my sister sent my this recipe saying I HAD to try it. she was right, it was delicious 😋 I subbed the seasonings for Trader Joe’s italian style sofrito and it came out delicious with a slight kick. Will make again!
This is a great recipe and has become a winter staple over the past year!
This was so good for a cold winter night. My husband and I both loved it! I did make one change: instead of baby potatoes I served it over some leftover mashed potatoes. With the gravy this recipe makes, heavenly!
This was a super easy, nourishing and fresh Meal on a cold night :) Will surely make again
This is an amazing stew! So much flavor, even my kids love it! I will say though, the recipe says 15 minutes of prep time. Try maybe 30-45 minutes. I’m an experienced home cook but to prep all the veggies AND the chicken AND the other ingredients….does not equal 15 minutes! Overall, by the time I got to the part where it simmers, I had been in my kitchen for 1 hour. The time for prep keeps this a once in awhile dinner treat for us, but we definitely drool just thinking about it!!
I don’t usually interact with online recipes but this stew was just fantastic. Loved it. So easy to prepare, the ingredients were cheap and there was enough for two of us to eat for several days. It gets better when you reheat it as well. Loved it. Thank you so much, going into my weekly bank x
Made this tonight; I used all chicken broth instead of half-vegetable and subbed in fresh rosemary instead of dried.
It tastes astounding on this cold day! Definitely making again sometime.
This looks delicious. Could it be made with ground chicken instead?
It really wouldn’t turn out quite the same! I would definitely recommend getting thighs if you can. :)
I’ve made it with ground chicken. I prefer the thighs, but if you only have ground chicken it turns out fine. I cook the ground chicken in the butter and olive oil and leave it fairly chunky. I follow the rest of the directions as written. Still very tasty.
I’ve made this delicious dish several times now. It’s become a firm family favourite. It would be great if the option to change the measurements to metric could be added for us Brits! :)
Just made it today and will be making it again. It was delish.
Made this it was beautiful
I made this stew today. It turned out so well! I did add extra of the recommended herbs and spices, as we love lots of flavor. I also did this because all I had was chicken breast, and wanted to make sure it had great taste. I did use Better than Bullion. I have started using that for all my cooking.
Made this for dinner last night & my picky boyfriend LOVED it – I will be making it sooooo many times this winter!!