Description
Hearty “slow cooker chicken stew” delivers comforting flavors that dance between rustic charm and home-style warmth. Tender chicken, rich vegetables, and aromatic herbs promise a satisfying meal that wraps you in culinary embrace.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
Vegetables:
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the main protein by generously seasoning chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then delicately dust with a light coating of flour for enhanced texture and flavor.
- Transfer the flour-coated chicken into the slow cooker, creating a hearty base layer, then strategically arrange diced potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped celery, minced onion, and crushed garlic for a robust vegetable foundation.
- Craft a savory liquid foundation by whisking chicken broth with tangy tomato paste, umami-rich Worcestershire sauce, aromatic thyme, earthy rosemary, and a single bay leaf to develop complex flavor profiles.
- Gently pour the herbal broth mixture over the layered ingredients, ensuring complete coverage and even distribution of seasonings throughout the slow cooker.
- Secure the lid and allow the stew to simmer on low temperature for 6-8 hours or accelerate cooking on high setting for 3-4 hours, allowing ingredients to tenderize and meld together harmoniously.
- Approximately half an hour before serving, introduce vibrant frozen peas to maintain their bright color and crisp texture.
- Conclude the cooking process by carefully extracting the bay leaf and garnishing with freshly chopped parsley, presenting a rustic and inviting chicken stew ready to be savored.
Notes
- Ensure even coating by shaking chicken pieces in a sealed plastic bag with flour for uniform coverage.
- Pat chicken dry before seasoning to help flour adhere better and create a light, crispy exterior.
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for richer flavor and more tender meat that won’t dry out during slow cooking.
- Add root vegetables like parsnips or turnips for extra depth and nutritional variety in the stew.
- Swap chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, using firm tofu or chickpeas instead of chicken.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium broth and controlling salt during seasoning stages.
- Enhance flavor by quickly searing chicken in a hot pan before adding to slow cooker for deeper caramelization.
- If watching carbohydrates, replace potatoes with cauliflower or turnips for a lower-glycemic alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg