slow cooker chicken stew
With tender, juicy chicken thighs, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful broth, this recipe is perfect for busy days when you want a wholesome dinner without the fuss.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (extra fat trimmed)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Olive oil (for searing)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
- 3 medium red potatoes, quartered (or baby red potatoes)
- 3 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
- 5 cups chicken broth, divided (plus more as needed)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
Searing the Chicken
- Start by seasoning your chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs to the skillet. Sear them on both sides until golden brown—this should take about 5 minutes per side. Don’t rush this step; allowing the chicken to get that beautiful golden crust will add extra flavor to the stew.Once the chicken is seared, transfer it to your slow cooker. Tip: Avoid flipping the chicken too much during the searing process to ensure that perfect golden crust.
Sautéing the Vegetables
- In the same skillet (don’t wipe it clean, you want all that flavor!), add a little more olive oil if needed. Toss in the diced onions and sliced carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes. As the onions cook, they’ll release moisture—use this to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. These bits are packed with flavor, so don’t skip this step!If any of the bits start burning, add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pan and continue scraping. This will help lift those delicious, caramelized flavors into the stew.
Adding Herbs, Garlic, and Tomato Paste
- Next, add the minced garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary to the skillet. Sauté everything together for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in the tomato paste, coating the veggies and herbs evenly. The tomato paste adds a rich depth of flavor to the stew.Once everything is nicely mixed, pour in about ½ to ¾ cup of chicken broth to help deglaze the pan further, ensuring that you’ve scraped up all the tasty brown bits. Then, transfer this mixture into the slow cooker, along with the seared chicken.
Adding Potatoes and Broth
- To the slow cooker, add your quartered potatoes and bay leaves. Season the mixture with another ½ teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Then, pour in the remaining 4 cups of chicken broth, making sure the ingredients are well-covered. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on the HIGH setting for 4 hours. This will give the chicken and vegetables plenty of time to become tender and flavorful.
Thicken the Stew
- About 3.5 hours into the cooking time, it’s time to thicken the stew. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour with a bit of room-temperature chicken broth (about ⅓ cup). Stir this mixture until smooth to form a slurry. Add the slurry to the slow cooker, along with the frozen peas. Give it a good stir to combine everything, and cook for an additional 30 minutes. The stew will naturally thicken as it cooks.