Made in just one pot, this flavorful and easy chicken stew recipe comes together in under an hour and freezes exceptionally well.
Every year when the weather starts to turn, I find myself craving the richness of a hearty stew. This typically requires a slow simmer, where the liquid gently bubbles away, leaving all the concentrated flavor in the pot.
This chicken stew recipe employs a few handy tricks to save time, giving you the best of both worlds: The velvety richness of a slow simmered stew without all the time by the stove. You don’t need to plan ahead or scramble to get everything in your crockpot before work!
Instead, sautéing the veggies until golden enhances the flavor in under 15 minutes. Canned tomatoes and chicken broth add a sweet, bright and savory element. Italian-style seasonings like paprika, oregano, and coriander layer on warmth, and thyme and parsley add a nice freshness. It’s filling but not too heavy–beloved by picky eaters and big appetites alike!
Table of Contents
Chicken Stew Ingredients
I was inspired by hearty Italian-style stews for this recipe, which typically load tomato sauce and broth with rich, aromatic flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a high quality, extra virgin variety for the best flavor. Any of the oils from our shop would be excellent but I especially love our Italian Nocellara with this recipe.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs remain tender without much effort. You can use chicken breast if that’s what you prefer. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time as they tend to cook more quickly and dry out more easily.
- Vegetables: For me, onions and garlic are always a must for flavor. From there, I try to use veggies of different colors and texture. This time I used carrots, zucchini, potatoes, and red bell peppers. Feel free to use up what you have on hand.
- Tomatoes: Any quality canned whole tomatoes that you like will work here. I like whole San Marzano tomatoes, which are slightly sweeter with a delicate acidity to balance this hearty stew.
- Liquid: I like my stew on the thicker side so just 2 cups of chicken broth or stock does the trick. Use homemade, or low sodium so you can season to taste.
- Herbs and spices: Fresh thyme, dried oregano, paprika and coriander bring an aromatic and warming quality. If you have Italian seasoning on hand feel free to use a tablespoon of that instead. A good cup of parsley adds a fresh pop of color.
- White wine vinegar: Believe me, you don’t want to skip this! White vinegar adds some acidity for balance. If you don’t have any, use any vinegar you have on hand or squeeze in lemon or lime juice to taste.
How to Make this Chicken Stew Recipe
Sautéeing the chicken and vegetables until golden, then gently simmering them with aromatic spices is a quick and easy way to build big flavor in under an hour. Here’s how you do it:
- Get ready. Pat the chicken dry and season on one side with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Chop 1 onion, 2 peeled carrots, 1 red bell pepper, 1 zucchini, and 1 potato. Mince 3 garlic cloves.
- Brown the chicken. In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add 8 chicken thighs, starting with the seasoned side down. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper, then cook undisturbed until the chicken releases from the pan and browns on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate for now.
- Sauté the vegetables. With the heat still on medium-high, add the onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini and potato. Season with 1 teaspoon of paprika, coriander and oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened and lightly charred, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the liquid. Stir in one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, 2 cups chicken broth and 2 thyme sprigs. Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes, pushing down until they burst into chunks.
- Boil then simmer. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then add the chicken back to the pot. Cook on high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the Dutch oven part-way. Let everything simmer until the stew has thickened and the chicken is nicely tender, 20 to 30 minutes. While the stew simmers, chop enough parsley leaves and tender stems to yield 1 cup.
- Finish and serve. Turn the heat off and remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and the parsley and serve.
What to Serve with Chicken Stew
The beauty of a one-pot stew like this is that you really don’t need to add anything more to complete the meal. You can serve on its own or with just a side of your favorite crusty bread. To make it even more filling, make couscous as the stew simmers. Serve on top of the couscous, perhaps with a crisp lemon parmesan salad to start.
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Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 potato, chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes (I like San Marzano)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves
Instructions
- Get ready. Pat the chicken dry and season on one side with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken. In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken, starting with the seasoned side down. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper, then cook until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate for now.
- Sauté the vegetables. With the heat still on medium-high, add the onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini and potato. Season with the paprika, coriander, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened and lightly charred, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, and thyme sprigs. Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes, pushing down until they burst into chunks.
- Boil, then simmer. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then add the chicken back to the pot. Cook on high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the Dutch oven part-way. Let simmer until the stew has thickened and the chicken is nicely tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Turn the heat off and remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the vinegar and fresh parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- Storage:
- In the fridge: Allow the soup to cool, then seal and store in your fridge for 4 days or so.
- In the freezer: Allow to cool fully, then seal in containers, leaving some room at the top to allow it to expand in your freezer. Freeze for up to 2 months.
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- To reheat: Thaw frozen stew in your fridge overnight. Reheat thawed or refrigerated soup on your stove over medium heat until warmed through.
- To make in a crockpot:
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- Brown the chicken on the stove with a bit of olive oil in your pan just as described in the recipe.
- Transfer to your crock pot, along with any of the juices from the pan. Add the chopped vegetables, spices, thyme, chicken broth, and a dash of salt and pepper. Add the whole tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to crush.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Do this on low heat for 5 to 6 hours OR on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Stir in the white wine vinegar and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
This is a really good, nutritious stew. I was looking for something different than the stereotypical chicken stew and this did not disappoint.
A few things that I will adjust next time for my personal preferences:
– I doubled the recipe – for me if it would have occurred to me I would have cooked the chicken in batches. My 7 qt Dutch oven could just barely fit the 3 lbs of chicken breasts so it made the browning a little tricky. This is more of a lesson learned for me
– next time I will add the zucchini last as I prefer it a little crunchier
– I added a bit of hot sauce when serving – if you like spice I recommend it
Some commented that this is more of a soup than a stew. It did not end up like a soup for me but I also added an additional potato and zucchini – I suggest adding some more veggies if you want thicker consistency. This will definitely be in my dinner rotation!
Thanks so much for sharing your insights on this one, Kay!!