Slow Cooker Stewed Chicken

 

          

                            

                     Originally published on comfortspringstation.com on 3/4/24 

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January is a cold month even here in Florida.  Cold weather always makes me crave comfort food filled with vegetables, broth, and protein.  I just love a single pot meal.  Today I’m using a crockpot to make stewed chicken.  If you are wondering what the difference is between chicken soup and chicken stew, the main difference is the amount of liquid versus the ingredients.  In soup your ingredients are usually floating in the broth while the hearty stew is filled with chunks of vegetables and meat with some broth.  Often when I plan on making chicken soup, it is in reality a stew.

 

 

The necessary ingredients are probably in most kitchens already: onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and frozen green peas or green beans. You can add both the beans and peas if you like. If you wish to add corn or peppers, feel free to adjust to your taste or what you already have.  My mother always served her stews over rice and I continue to do that. It is optional of course. Take 10 to 15 minutes to put everything in the slow cooker but the frozen peas/beans, turn it on low, and come back 30 minutes before the stew is cooked to add the frozen veggies. Some people like to use chunks of boneless, skinless chicken, but I like to use skinless chicken with the bones.  I think it adds flavor to the dish. You may serve it without thickening it or add a corn starch and broth mix at the end. Cooking time depends on your crock pot as some pots cook faster than others.  Cook time is between 6 to 7 hours.  I always say make it your own recipe with the changes you like.  This dish can be frozen, but let it cool to room temperature before freezing.  To reheat place in a pot on low on your stove top. I personally don't like to freeze food with cooked potatoes in them. Freezing pretty much destroys what I like about potatoes. I'd remove the potatoes before freezing.

 

Slow Cooker Stewed Chicken

Use organic when available. Serves 6  Prep: 15 minutes Cook time: 6.5 hours

  

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 medium sweet onions diced
• 3 celery stalks diced and a few celery leaves
• 4 carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 large peeled potatoes cut into chunks
• 1 cup frozen green peas, green beans, or vegetable mix
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground garlic
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp optional: corn starch

Instructions

• Place onions, carrots, potatoes, and seasonings in bottom of slow cooker
• Stir to combine
• Season chicken with salt and pepper
• Place on top of vegetables
• Pour chicken broth over chicken
• Place lid on cooker and cook for 6 hours
• Add frozen peas/beans/corn 30 minutes before stew is ready
• If desired, remove chicken from crock pot and remove bone and shred or cut into chunks
• Remove bay leaf
• Optional: To thicken, use corn starch with 1 tablespoon of chicken stock from pot and whisk until smooth
• Add corn starch mix to pot and mix into stew
• Cook on high with lid off for 30 minutes for stew to thicken
• Serve with crusty bread or rolls

 

  

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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