Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, and celery simmered in a flavorful broth with herbs and spices. Perfect for a cozy meal, this stew is easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup frozen peas (optional, added in the last 30 minutes)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Thickener and Garnish
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cold water (for slurry)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Place the chicken pieces, diced potatoes, sliced carrots, celery, chopped onion, and minced garlic into the slow cooker.
- Make Broth Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Add Broth to Slow Cooker: Pour the broth mixture evenly over the ingredients in the slow cooker to cover them.
- Cook on Low: Set the slow cooker to low heat and cook for 7 to 8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and chicken to become tender.
- Or Cook on High: Alternatively, set the slow cooker to high heat and cook for 4 to 5 hours if you need a shorter cooking time.
- Prepare Thickener: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, mix the all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.
- Thicken and Add Peas: Stir the slurry into the stew and add frozen peas if using. This will thicken the stew and incorporate the peas.
- Finalize Stew: Remove the bay leaf, taste the stew, and adjust salt and pepper seasoning as desired.
- Serve: Serve the hot chicken stew garnished with fresh chopped parsley. It pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or over rice.
Notes
- Using chicken thighs adds more flavor and tenderness, but breasts work well too.
- The flour slurry is essential for thickening the stew to a rich consistency.
- Frozen peas can be omitted if you prefer or replaced with other quick-cooking vegetables.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute flour with cornstarch or a gluten-free flour blend.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
