Creamy Chicken Stew

This easy to make chicken stew is full of tender pieces of chicken and loads of vegetables in a very flavorful creamy sauce creating a very comforting hearty stew. Similar to a classic beef stew but with chicken (cooks way faster than a beef stew), with the same kind of comfort as chicken soups but with a richer thicker creamy sauce. Tastes like comfort in a bowl - warm hearty and delicious - perfect for a cold day!

Easy Chicken Stew Recipe Ingredients

• OLIVE OIL & BUTTER: I use the olive oil for sautéing the chicken and the butter for making the roux.
• CHICKEN: I like to cut the chicken into bite size pieces and I use skinless boneless chicken breast or but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Bone-in chicken piece can be used but cooking time will vary if the pieces are larger and have bone in them.
• ONION & GARLIC: Red or yellow onion and as little or as much garlic as you like
• CARROTS & CELERY: The perfect blend of veggies for the mirepoix
• MUSHROOMS: I like to use cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms have a deeper, more complex flavor but feel free to use whatever mushrooms you prefer or a combination of mushrooms
• POTATOES: I like to use yellow potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes perfect for the stew adding some heartiness to it and naturally thicken the stew as well. Feel free to use red potatoes if you prefer those
• HERBS & SPICES: I use fresh thyme sprigs and fresh rosemary which pairs really well with mushrooms. Feel free to use dried thyme and dried rosemary if you prefer dried over fresh. I also liked to add some sage and chili flakes for extra flavor
• FLOUR: I like to thicken the stew roux-style with butter and flour - I don’t use a cornstarch slurry because I prefer the texture of stews like this with flour, but if you prefer a cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup read on to the Tips & Alternatives section
• BROTH: Feel free to use chicken broth, or vegetable broth, or use a combo of both - I like to use low sodium broth/stock
• WHITE WINE: This is perfect for deglazing the pan and adding loads of flavour to the stroganoff - Sub the white wine with sherry or with more broth if you prefer.
• HEAVY CREAM: I love to add a swirl of heavy cream to finish off the stew as it adds more richness to it - I recommend it but it is optional.
• LEMON ZEST: I love the fresh flavor it adds without the acidity. It balances out the richness but if you prefer it without that is ok too - the stew will still be fab
• PARSLEY: I like to stir in some chopped fresh parsley, for flavor but it is optional
  
  

Variations

• Veggies: Feel free to add or replace some of the veggies with other veggies like sweet potatoes, green beans, corn and green peas.
• Sour Cream: Feel Free to swirl in some sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra creaminess and a bit of tang.
• Flavors Bombs: Feel free to switch out the herbs for different flavors and other things you could add to your stew for extra flavour include, dijon mustard or a pinch of mustard powder, chicken bouillon, splash of Worcestershire Sauce, splash of soy sauce or even some miso paste for a hit of umami.
• Extra Carbs: If you would like to add or serve this with grains feel free to serve with quinoa or rice or even pasta
• Bacon: For extra flavour start off the stew by sautéing bacon or pancetta
  
  

How To Make Comforting Chicken Stew

1. Brown/Sear the chicken: Sauté the chicken in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches) until browned, then transfer to a clean plate.
2. Sauté the veggies: Next, in that same pan, saute vegetables until they start to get tender. Then stir in the butter, flour, garlic and spices and deglaze with wine to lift up all of those flavorful brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Followed by the broth and bay leaf
3. Simmer the stew: Return chicken to pan and continue simmering covered until chicken and vegetables are tender
4. Finish off the stew: Stir in the cream, lemon zest and parsley and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve: Then serve it up with crusty bread or this stew is even nice over hot noodles, rice, poleta, or mash, sprinkled with a bit of extra parsley and enjoy!
   
   

Tips & Alternatives

• Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken so each piece can develop a nice crust
• Using the wine or broth and scraping up the little brown bits in the pan from searing the chicken and veggies adds loads of flavor to the dish so try to use the same pan your searing and making the sauce.
• Feel free to add any other stir-fry-friendly veggies that you love to the veggie sauté like asparagus, bell peppers, or broccoli.
• If you prefer to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce you can - use equal parts cornstarch and cold water that have been whisked together, add in a tablespoon at a time while the sauce is simmering until it reaches your desired level of thickness.
• Make it a vegetarian by using only mushrooms or a mixture of stir fried veggies and vegetable broth
  
  

Storage & Make ahead

• STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Reheat stovetop or in the microwave. It tastes even better the next day!
• FREEZING: Stews always freeze really well. Milk products tend to seperate when frozen but creams added to the stew usually don’t because of the higher fat content in them. That being said I still recommend freezing the stew without the cream in it. Simply stir it in when reheating. Freeze the stew in appropriate portions in airtight freezer safe containers. Store in the freezer for 1-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet or saucepan stove top or in a microwave safe container for the microwave.
  
  

More Soups & Stews You Will Love:

• Beef Stew
• Chicken Rice soup
• Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Chicken Stroganoff
• Easy Chicken Tikka Masala