This chicken stew recipe is a classic that will warm you from the inside out! Packed with deep flavors and finished with a splash of cream.
What makes this chicken stew special is the balance: it’s hearty yet light enough to be enjoyed year-round. It’s really just the comforting reset everyone needs at the end of the day…and then again the next day when it tastes even better!
Quick Look: Chicken Stew Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, broth, heavy cream
- Flavor Profile: Savory deep flavors, not too creamy, not too thick, and just the right consistency!
- Ideal for: Weeknights (ready in a little over 1 hour), weekend dinner, comfort food any time of the year
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs: I always use boneless thighs. Trim the extra fat. Chicken thighs are ideal for tenderness and flavor, but you can use chicken breast too.
- Yukon gold potatoes: I find that these are the best potatoes as they hold their shape really well. Russets can become too soft.. If you can’t find yukon golds, red potatoes are a good substitute.
- Veggie base: Yellow onions, carrots, celery. Dice them evenly.
- Chicken broth and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base: Reserve extra broth for increasing volume of liquid or to replace the white wine, if needed.
- White wine: Mainly used to deglaze the browned bits left from cooking the chicken and aromatics. Use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio as sweeter wines tend to clash the savory flavors.
- Aromatics: Mince garlic (fresh), fresh thyme, dried bay leaves, fresh rosemary, fresh Italian parsley to finish the stew
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the stew.
- Heavy cream: We add just a little splash to make it extra hearty, but it won’t make it into a “creamy” stew.
- Seasoning for the chicken: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Other: Olive oil and unsalted butter
Ingredient quantities for this chicken stew recipe are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap chicken thighs with chicken breasts. They won’t have the same tenderness and flavor and thighs, but will still turn out great!
- No wine? Substitute with an equal amount of chicken broth plus a touch of apple cider vinegar to get similar acidity.
- Cream. I do recommend heavy cream for texture, but half-and-half can be used too. It won’t be as thick, so you’ll need extra cornstarch slurry.
- Using dried herbs. Use about half or one-third of the amount of fresh herbs, as dried herbs are stronger.
- Also try my Spanish Chicken Stew as a variation!
How to Make Chicken Stew
Step 1 | Sear chicken
Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Season with a few drizzles of olive oil and season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. In batches, sear in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 | Veggies and aromatics
Cook veggie base: Melt butter and sauté onions, celery, and carrots for 6 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Then, add garlic, thyme, and Better Than Bouillon base, and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Tip: If the browned bits start to burn, add a splash of wine or broth to do a quick deglaze.
Deglaze: Pour in the white wine and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Let that simmer until the wine is reduced by about half. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3 | Bring everything together
Return the seared chicken, add potatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves and rosemary sprigs. Bring to a low simmer, cover and let that cook for about 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
Step 4 | Thicken and finish
Once ready and tender, make a cornstarch slurry (mix cornstarch with some broth), then slowly pour into the stew, stirring. Simmer, uncovered for another 5-8 minutes until thickened.
Finish and serve. Stir in the heavy cream and fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste and remove bay leaves and sprigs before serving.
Tips for Success
- Cook chicken in batches. Do not overcrowd the pot, as this can cause the chicken to steam and not brown. We want to brown the chicken.
- Use a wooden cooking spoon to release the brown bits off to prevent scratching. I find that this is the best tool to get most of the fond easily.
- Cornstarch slurry. Add it at the end. If added too early, the cornstarch cooks too long and becomes too thick, leaving a slightly burnt aftertaste. Mix with room temp liquid first as hot liquid causes it to clump.
- Add the cream towards the end. Like the cornstarch, heavy cream also gets added at the end, with the heat off. Use sparingly to not overdo making the stew too creamy or heavy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, sear and sauté as directed, and then transfer everything to your crockpot for 3.5 to 4 hours on the high setting. Stir in the cornstarch slurry during the last 20 minutes. See my crockpot chicken stew recipe for guidance.
Yes, you can transfer the stew to the oven for about 1.5 hours at 325ºF or until tender. However, in my testing, I found that simmering on the stovetop for just 30-45 minutes is enough to get it very tender since we’re using thighs.
If you want the stew to be a little thicker, just add more cornstarch slurry at the end. It will start to chicken once it starts simmering, so wait until it heats up before adding more.
Absolutely! It won’t be quite as tender, but it still works. You can also use leftover roasted chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
If using a dairy free alternative, I suggest using full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream to achieve a similar consistency. You can also skip the cream at the end.
Make Ahead and Reheating
Make ahead: This chicken stew always tastes better the next day, so make it 1 day ahead and reheat on the stovetop later, adding a splash of broth or cream. I always make a big batch for meal prep!
Prep ahead ingredients: Chop the veggies and season the chicken ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
Freezing: Although this stew contains cream, it’s not enough to cause any issues when freezing. Once completely cooled, transfer it to freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat straight from frozen.
Reheating: Simmer over medium-low heat until heated through, adding extra broth or cream.
Hearty Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs – excess fat trimmed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion – diced
- 3 stalks stalks celery – diced
- 4 medium carrots – peeled and sliced
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 medium yukon gold potatoes – diced into small ½ inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth – divided, plus more as needed
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch – dissolved with ⅓ cup broth or water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream – or to taste
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil – for searing
Instructions
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Season chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into medium 2-inch chunks. Season evenly with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt (1 teaspoon), and ground black pepper.
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Sear chicken: Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches, undisturbed, until deeply golden on all sides. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
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Cook the vegetables: Reduce heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 6 minutes, until softened, scraping the browned bits to release. Note: If the browned bits look like they are burning, add a small splash of wine or broth to quickly deglaze.
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Build the flavor and deglaze: Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon chicken base. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine is reduced by about halfway. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Simmer on the stovetop. Return the chicken to the pot and add potatoes. Then, add chicken broth, bay leaves, and rosemary sprigs. Makes sure everything is covered with broth, if not top it off with more. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes until tender.
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Thicken: Dissolve cornstarch with broth, then stir it into the stew. It will thicken as it heats up. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes until thickened. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, and adjust the consistency as needed.
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Finish: Stir in the heavy cream (to taste) and chopped Italian parsley. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Yukon Golds are what I recommend because they hold their shape during simmering. Red potatoes work too, but avoid Russets as they tend to become too soft.
- Sear the chicken in batches. This step leaves behind browned bits that provide the flavor base. Use a wooden spoon to scrape these bits up during deglazing.
- Deglazing: Use a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
- Thickening: Add the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with broth) only at the end of cooking. Adding it too early can result in an overly thick texture or a burnt aftertaste.
- Finishing with cream: Stir in the heavy cream after turning off the heat to prevent the stew from becoming too heavy or curdling.
- Don’t overdo it with the cream. I find that just ¼ or ⅓ cup is enough to give it thatrich taste. But if you like your stew creamy, definitely add more to taste.
- Make-ahead: The flavors only get better overnight, making it a great make-ahead meal or for meal prep.
- Prep ahead: You can also chop vegetables and season the chicken a day in advance.
- Freeze for up to 2 months in portions.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat from frozen on low heat with the lid on. Add a splash of broth or cream when reheating to refresh the consistency.
Substitutions and Variations
- No wine? Substitute an equal amount of chicken broth plus a splash of apple cider vinegar for similar acidity.
- Dairy-free: Simply omit the dairy entirely or use a dairy-free cream option. Unsweetened coconut milk or cream works too.
- Dried herbs: If using dried instead of fresh herbs, use half or one-third of the amount called for, as dried herbs are more potent.
- Slow cooker: To adapt for a crockpot, sear the chicken and sauté the aromatics first, then cook on high for 3.5-4 hours, adding the cornstarch slurry in the final 20 minutes.