Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender bone-in chicken thighs simmered with carrots, potatoes, and aromatic herbs in a rich broth. Perfect for an easy, comforting meal with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
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
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced - or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 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
- 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 without moving it to achieve a good crust. Then transfer the browned chicken to the slow cooker.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add a little more olive oil if needed, then sauté diced onions and sliced carrots for 5 minutes until softened. As the onions release moisture, scrape the brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze. If browning occurs, splash some chicken broth to prevent burning.
- Add Aromatics and Tomato Paste: Add minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet and sauté until fragrant for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Pour in ½ to ¾ cup of chicken broth to help deglaze the pan and loosen any remaining browned bits. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Add Potatoes, Bay Leaves, and Broth: Add quartered potatoes, bay leaves, ½ teaspoon salt, and some black pepper to the slow cooker. Pour in 4 cups of chicken broth. Cover and cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours.
- Prepare Flour Slurry and Add Peas: Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes into cooking, mix ⅓ cup all-purpose flour with about ⅓ cup room temperature chicken broth until smooth to create a slurry. Stir the slurry and frozen peas into the slow cooker stew. Continue cooking uncovered for the last 30 minutes to thicken the stew.
- Shred Chicken and Finish: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, discard the bones, and shred the meat with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the stew and stir in finely chopped Italian parsley. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Serve the chicken stew warm, ideally with fresh bread or biscuits for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- If your slow cooker has a sauté or browning function, use it to sear chicken and cook vegetables in one pot without extra pans.
- Cooking on HIGH for 4 hours yields tender chicken without stringiness; cooking on LOW for 6 hours is an option if preferred, though texture may be affected.
- Bone-in chicken thighs add deep flavor and moistness; remove skin after cooking if skin-on was used to reduce fat.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can prepare the stew ahead of time and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
- Substitute boneless chicken thighs or breasts if preferred, adjusting cooking time accordingly.
- Use dried herbs if fresh are unavailable, adjusting quantities accordingly as noted.
- Yukon gold potatoes work well as a substitute; avoid Russets as they disintegrate when cooked long.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
