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My favorite chicken stew recipe is a thick, hearty bowlful packed with juicy chicken, veggies, potatoes, and loads of flavor. It’s cozy and creamy, but still a bit lighter than beef stew.
This chicken stew is like a rustic, heartier version of chicken soup. If you love easy soups and cozy stews like this one, also try my creamy chicken wild rice soup.
Table of Contents
This chicken stew is a rustic take on chicken soup, with a thick, rich gravy packed with tender veggies, potatoes, and mushrooms. It pairs perfectly with fluffy dinner rolls or homemade biscuits on a chilly fall or winter day. The flavor is amazing, so much so that I could eat this cozy stew for days and never get tired of it. Luckily, leftovers reheat like a dream!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Stew Recipe
- One pot. Stews are some of my favorite one-pot recipes (like my Instant Pot beef stew). This chicken stew recipe doesn’t need anything fancy, just one pot and some time to stew on the stovetop.
- Hearty. This stew is basically a meal in a bowl, complete with tender potatoes, plenty of vegetables, and juicy chunks of chicken in a gravy-like broth. You don’t need much besides a side of crusty bread!
- Great leftovers. Store leftovers in the fridge or freeze them for easy meals down the road. Chicken stew tastes even better when the flavors have more time to come together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This chicken stew recipe packs loads of goodness into one bowl, and it comes down to a combination of easy ingredients. Below are some notes. You’ll find the printable ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card after the post.
- Chicken Thighs – Cut into small pieces. Chicken thighs are best for stewing because they stay tender even with a long cooking time. However, you can use chicken breasts in a pinch.
- Olive Oil and Butter – I like to sauté with oil and butter for added flavor. You can use only one or the other if you prefer.
- Carrots, Celery, and Onion – Peeled and finely chopped. This trio of veggies creates an aromatic flavor base for many soups as well as sauces, like Bolognese.
- Garlic – Freshly minced.
- Flour – All-purpose flour helps thicken the stew. You could also use cornstarch, but you’ll need half the amount of cornstarch than flour.
- Chicken Broth – I recommend using a good-quality low-sodium broth or stock. You could also use vegetable broth.
- Herbs – Dried parsley and thyme. You can also use Italian seasoning or fresh herbs if you prefer.
- Potatoes – The best potatoes for soups and stews are waxy potatoes, like baby potatoes, as they have thinner skin that stays intact while cooking. If you’re using another variety, like russets, I recommend peeling and dicing the potatoes so that it doesn’t change the soup’s texture too much.
- Mushrooms – Cremini, baby bellas, or any kind you’d like. Chop them thin before you start. If you dislike mushrooms, feel free to substitute another veggie or skip them altogether.
- Heavy Cream – You could also use half-and-half.
How to Make Chicken Stew
I’ve put together a step-by-step overview so you can get acquainted with this creamy chicken stew recipe! Here’s how to make it. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe with details.
- Sear the chicken. Begin by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper, then sear he chicken in a large stock pot with oil. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until browned (it doesn’t have to be cooked through at this point). Move the chicken to a plate.
- Cook the veggies. Melt butter in the pot, then add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until the veggies soften. After that, stir in the garlic.
- Add the flour and broth. Now, stir the flour into the veggies. Let that cook off for a minute, then pour in the chicken broth.
- Put it all together. Return the browned chicken to the pot along with the herbs and potatoes. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and continue to cook for another 25 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Before serving, stir in the heavy cream and season the stew to taste.
Recipe Tips
- Sear the chicken first. You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way through with the first sear. The goal is to brown the outside of the chicken, adding flavor and locking in the juices. A few minutes is all that’s needed as the chicken will finish cooking when it’s added back into the stew later on.
- Use leftovers. Using leftover chicken thighs or whole chicken is a great way to cut down on time. In this case, you can skip the searing step and simply stir the cooked, cubed chicken into the stew right at the end.
- Different veggies. In addition to the veggies and mushrooms already in this chicken stew, you can add more options like bell peppers, sweet potatoes, leeks, butternut squash, and greens like spinach or kale.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken stew is a meal in itself, but I always serve it with a side of crusty French bread dinner rolls for sopping up the leftover gravy. If I feel like rounding out the meal further, I’ll make a simple tossed salad for the table. Leftover stew is delicious to have for lunch with a turkey club sandwich or air fryer grilled cheese!
Storing and Reheating Chicken Stew
- Refrigerate. Leftover chicken stew tastes even better after a night in the fridge. I like to portion the stew into serving-sized airtight containers and keep them refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. Warm this chicken stew on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
- Freeze. You can also freeze this stew for 2-3 months. Store it airtight and thaw the stew in the fridge before reheating, or reheat it from frozen over low heat.
More Soups Recipes
Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ pound baby potatoes, halved
- 8 oz mushrooms, thinly chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the hot pan and brown for 3-4 minutes. It will not be cooked thru. Remove from the pan.1 ½ boneless chicken thighs, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Add the butter to the pan and melt. Stir in carrots, celery and onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are soft. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until you can start to smell it.3 Tablespoons butter, 2 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Stir in flour until no white streaks remain. Pour in the chicken broth and mix until everything is well blended.3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 4 cups chicken broth
- Return the browned chicken to the pot. Stir in the parsley, thyme and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add in the mushrooms. Cover and continue to cook for 25 minutes.1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 ½ pound baby potatoes, 8 oz mushrooms
- Stir in the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste.½ cup heavy cream, Salt and pepper
- Remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
- I like to use baby potatoes because the skin stays intact while cooking. If you use russet potatoes, I recommend peeling and dicing the potatoes first, or it will change the texture of the soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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