Chicken stew is a comfort food not just because it is kind of easy to make but also healthy and versatile. You can edit the recipe to meet your requirements and it works well if you have the right pieces of chicken and just about any vegetables.
You get tender chicken as well as a good dose of vegetables and eat the whole thing in a bowl. You can make it as thick as you want and the flavour is entirely controllable too.
A light and quick chicken stew is often considered comfort food to eat midweek when the world seems to be hell bent on killing your spirit. And the good news is, there is nothing “sinful” about it because it has loads of veggies and is a healthy dish.
Of course, it’s important to remember that no food is “sinful” and you don’t have to “earn it” to make and eat something that makes you feel better.
Now, the chicken stew recipe that is going to follow is a combination of carbs, protein and vegetables that make for a perfect bowl meal. It also has seasoning like garlic, thyme, bay leaves along with salt and pepper, the usual suspects.
This recipe doesn’t have as much liquid as chicken soup which is why you can make it in a saucepan, slow cooker or a Dutch oven. It’s spicy, sweet, hearty and will leave you feeling better. If you feel like it, you can eat it with rice as well. Our recipe will serve about 8 people.
Chicken Stew With Onions Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Sunflower oil
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 1 Large potato, finely grated
- 1 can Tomatoes, with the liquid
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 6 Carrots, cut in half and into chunks
- 2 Parsnips, cut into chunks
- 3 Leeks, washed well and sliced thickly
- 1.4 litres Hot chicken stock
- 2 packs Skinless chicken thighs that are 850 grams each and have 16 pieces in total
- 4 cloves Garlic, ,sliced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons Fresh rosemary leaves
- 5 tablespoons All-purpose flour, optional
Method
- The process of making the chicken stew is not complicated. In fact, this right here is how it’s done.
- Step 1: Take your Dutch oven and heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. If you are using a saucepan, make sure you have a lid for it. Add the chopped garlic and onions and fry them till they are soft. That will take 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the chicken stock, chopped potatoes and herbs. Stir the mix for a few minutes till it boils.
- Step 3: Add the pieces of chicken and boil the mixture. You can add flour here if you want the stew to be thick. Cook till the flour isn’t raw anymore.
- Step 4: Add the leeks, parsnips and carrots and cover the saucepan or Dutch oven. You can also add celery if you like it. Once the mixture boils, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 5: Then add the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- Step 6: Then turn it down to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Drop by every now and then and stir the mix till you see that the chicken has turned tender.
- Step 7: Take off the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Make sure the chicken is well cooked and the veggies are tender.
- Step 8: Season the stew with salt and pepper. Stir the stew. Taste to see if you need more seasoning.
- Step 9: Garnish the stew with fresh parsley and serve it with peas and mash although the second part is optional.
- You can cook the chicken thighs partially if you are not sure about cooking them along with the other ingredients. If they are not skinless, make sure the skin side is facing the pot. Cook it for 5 to 7 minutes on each side till it is brown.
- You can double the portion of this stew by adding more veggies. It comes in very handy when you want to freeze some for later. You can keep it frozen for about 3 months in the fridge. You just need to make sure it’s completely defrosted at room temperature. Then you should reheat it till it boils.
- You can add other ingredients like green beans or broad beans. Instead of parsley, you can use tarragon as well. Adding a cinnamon stick for flavour is also a good idea. One teaspoon of cinnamon is also acceptable.
FAQ
Can You Put Raw Chicken in a Stew?
Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, raw meat cooks faster than frozen meat if those are your choices.
What Goes with Chicken Stew?
You can serve the chicken stew with creamy mashed potatoes, parsnip mash or soft polenta.
What Are the Best Vegetables for Stew?
You want to pick root vegetables because they are sturdy. And that’s not just for chicken stew. These veggies add substance and that’s why they work well with a braise as well. Turnips and parsnips are also good additions.
Chicken Stew With Onions Recipe: Wrapping Up
It’s a comfort food for most because it’s essentially a thick soup that has bone-in chicken breasts, skinless and boneless chicken breasts along with skinless chicken thighs and vegetables of your choice.
Interestingly, this dish is also popular in Jamaica. In the Caribbean, they call it brown stew chicken and they marinate an entire chicken before adding bell peppers, browning sauce, spices and garlic to it.
