Kristin Maxwell
Published on
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
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Made with boneless chicken thighs and loaded with veggies in a flavorful broth, this Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is the perfect meal to warm you up this fall.
This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew recipe cooks all day in your crockpot, and is ready just when you need it. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight meal, or for Sunday Supper.
Table of Contents
Why We Love this Chicken Stew Recipe
- Soup recipes transfer really easily from stove-top to slow cooker and vice versa. Need it quick? Cook it on the stove. Planning ahead? Throw the ingredients in your slow cooker. Easy peasy.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is basically my favorite chicken soup recipe with the pasta swapped out for potatoes and a little cornstarch slurry to thicken it up, making it super rich and hearty.
- This stew recipe has lots of veggies, and you could change those up, too, based on your personal tastes or what’s in your fridge.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- Chicken Thighs – I prefer chicken thighs just because I don’t have to worry about them drying out in the crock pot. You can use chicken breasts, but I would remove them after about 3 hours.
- Russet potatoes – holds their shape better than others. A good substitute would be red potatoes. Make sure to peel them first.
- Vegetables – carrots, celery, onion, diced canned tomatoes and a little tomato paste.
- Garlic – I used 3 whole medium sized cloves. You can throw them in whole (be sure to peel them first) or mince them.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, bay leaf. If you prefer to use fresh herbs, add some thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Stir in some fresh minced parsley just before serving.
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth – I always go for the low sodium variety so I can better control the salt level.
- Cornstarch Slurry – This is for thickening the stew at the end. Mix some milk and cornstarch in a small dish, then stir it into the stew.
How to Make Chicken Stew in a Slow Cooker
- Chop all the veggies and add them to the slow cooker.
- Pour in chicken broth and add seasonings and tomato paste and give it a little stir.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper then add to the pot.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and let thicken for about 15-30 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove the chicken and shred or dice. Serve with fresh minced parsley garnish.
How Do You Thicken Chicken Stew?
The stew will thicken naturally as the potatoes release starches into the broth. I like to add a cornstarch slurry at the end by mixing a little cornstarch and milk and stirring it into the soup. This is completely optional, but will definitely give you a nice thick broth.
About 15-30 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch and milk together in a small dish then stir that into the stew. Cover and switch to LOW or WARM setting and leave the lid off until stew is thickened and you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
Can you freeze chicken stew?
Yes! Divide the leftovers into freezer-safe containers and let cool completely. Seal and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to thaw completely (overnight in the fridge) before reheating.
Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes! Slow cookers are designed to cook raw meat. The direct heat and long cooking times will kill any bacteria. Cook for at least 3-4 hours on HIGH and 5-6 hours on LOW. I usually cook chicken breasts for 3 hours on high and that’s plenty of time.
Can I leave chicken in a slow cooker all day?
Technically, yes, you can. However, chicken can easily dry out and overcook, so I recommend only cooking for a few hours. I usually cook chicken breasts for 3 hours on high and that’s plenty of time. Chicken thighs can go a little longer, for about 4 hours on high and 6 hours on low.
Serving Suggestions
I find the best way to serve this stew is with a nice hunk of crusty Italian bread. It’s perfect for soaking up every last drop of that delicious broth.
With this chicken stew recipe, you’ve got a complete one-pot meal that will serve at least 6. To stretch it a little further, serve with one of these delicious options:
- Caesar Salad
- Butter Lettuce Salad
- Homemade Biscuits
- Easy Drop Biscuits
- Air Fryer Texas Toast Garlic Bread
- Copycat Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread
- Homemade Garlic Breadsticks
Variations
- Use rotisserie chicken: Since the meat is already cooked, just add the chicken at the end with the cornstarch slurry.
- Vegetable variations: Add mushrooms before cooking. Or, at the end add some frozen peas or corn.
- To make on the stove top, melt some butter and saute the vegetables. Add the herbs and seasonings and saute for another minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then add the chicken and potatoes. Reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Add cornstarch slurry and heat for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- To make it in a pressure cooker, try my Instant Pot Chicken Stew.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerating: Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Freezing: Cool completely and store in airtight freezer-safe containers and freezer for up to 4-6 months. Keep in mind that the texture of the veggies and potatoes may be a little mushy upon thawing. Thaw before reheating.
Reheating: I recommend reheating in a small saucepan on the stovetop. You can also microwave for 60-90 seconds, stirring halfway through.
Pro Tips
- Make Ahead: You can’t really make the entire recipe ahead of time, but you can definitely get some prep out of the way in advance. The day before, wash, peel and chop all of the veggies and trim the chicken. You can even measure out the seasonings so all you have to do it toss it all in the crock pot.
- Doubling the recipe: This recipe makes a lot of soup that fills up a 6-quart slow cooker. If you need twice as much, you’ll need to use a second crock pot.
- My favorite slow cooker: This Crock Pot is the one I use and I love it!
- When cooled, the fat will rise to the top and harden. You can scrape this off before reheating or simply stir into the heated soup.
- For a thinner, more soup-like broth, skip the cornstarch step.
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Turkey, Kale & Rice Soup
- Smoky Bacon and Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Pork Stew Recipe
- Beef Stew Recipe
- Split Pea Soup with Bacon
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Made with chicken thighs and loaded with veggies in a flavorful broth, this Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is the perfect meal for a cold night.
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 6 hrs
Total Time 6 hrs 10 mins
Ingredients
- 2 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 Celery Stalks, sliced slices into 1″ pieces
- 3 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 Small yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 15 ounce Canned diced tomatoes
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt more or less to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper more or less to taste
- 2 cups Low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 3 pounds Boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6-8 thighs
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 2 tablespoons Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the vegetables in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth, then add the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and add the tomato paste.
- Sprinkle chicken with a little salt and pepper then add to the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
- About 15-30 minutes before serving, whisk together cornstarch and milk in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour into the slow cook and gently stir until combined. Cover and turn to low or warm setting until ready to serve (within 30 minutes).
Notes
- Refrigerating: Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: Cool completely and store in airtight freezer safe containers and freezer for up to 4-6 months. Keep in mind that the texture of the veggies and potatoes may be a little mushy upon thawing. Thaw before reheating.
- Reheating: I recommend reheating in a small saucepan on the stove top. You can also microwave for 60-90 second, stirring halfway through.
- To make on the stove top, heat melt some butter and saute the vegetables. Add the herbs and seasonings and saute for another minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then add the chicken and potatoes. Reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Add cornstarch slurry and heat for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 456kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 50gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 631mgPotassium: 1770mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 10847IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 5mg
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What is the serving size? One cup? I want to count the calories.
Hi Kate, I would say the serving size is probably around 2-3 cups. It obviously depends on how much you want to enjoy at a time, but the recipe makes 6-8 servings.
Very good!
Can I freeze this?
Sure you can freeze for 3-4 months.
Hi what sized can diced tomatoes do I use for this? 14 oz or 28 oz?
It’s a 15-ounce can.