Full of flavorful, juicy, chicken, tender potatoes, and loads of fresh vegetables and herbs, this healthy slow cooker chicken stew is a cozy, easy dinner recipe for chilly nights!
Table of Contents
If you love slow cooker chicken recipes as much as we do, be sure to try slow cooker shredded chicken, this Crock Pot cream cheese chicken, this Crock Pot brown sugar chicken, these Crock Pot chicken and potatoes, this Crock Pot chicken Alfredo, this chicken cheesesteak recipe, and this flavorful Crock Pot chicken tortilla soup, too!
The crock pot chicken stew was delicious, a hit with everyone in the family, thanks for a great recipe!
– Elinor
How to Make this Slow Cooker Chicken Stew | 1-Minute Video
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- This recipe has almost all of the same ingredients and flavors as a classic Crock Pot chicken noodle soup. The difference? There’s typically less broth in a stew, and it tends to have a slightly thicker consistency. Also, while soup usually includes noodles or rice, potatoes are the most common starch in a stew.
- I used peeled russet potatoes here, but you can also use yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. The yukon golds or red potatoes would not need to be peeled.
- Bone-in skinless chicken breasts or bone-in skinless chicken thighs work best for a couple of reasons. The bone-in meat stays juicy and tender while the carrots and potatoes finish cooking. The bones also give the broth tons of added flavor. However, if you can’t find them or if you don’t want to bother with them, then boneless thighs or breasts will also work.
- Garlic, salt, paprika, a bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and poultry seasoning flavor this hearty chicken stew recipe. Poultry seasoning is a combination of thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram and nutmeg — so it gives you a lot of flavor with minimal effort! If you don’t care for this ingredient, no problem. Just leave it out, or use other herbs and spices instead.
- Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 3 hours or on LOW for about 6 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
Directions
This Crock Pot chicken stew recipe requires just a handful of basic, easy-to-find ingredients. If you need a healthy, family-friendly dinner option that’s also incredibly affordable, then this old-fashioned recipe is the key! You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Place the vegetables, herbs, and seasoning in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to quickly and easily remove the skin from the chicken breasts.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then arrange the meat on top of the vegetables. It’s perfectly safe to put raw chicken in the slow cooker. You do not need to brown the chicken before slow cooking for this recipe. Minimal prep time makes for a very easy stew!
- Pour broth over top.
- Cover and cook.
- During the final 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the pot. Shred or dice the meat, and discard the bones. Return the meat to the slow cooker.
- Stir in a cornstarch slurry.
- Cook, uncovered, on HIGH for about 30 more minutes, or until the broth thickens slightly.
- Remove the bay leaf and herb stems, season with salt and pepper, and ladle into bowls. The total amount of salt necessary will vary, depending on the saltiness of your broth and on your own personal taste preferences. Season as you go, and add extra if desired.
How to Thicken Chicken Stew
A cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and cold water) thickens this stew. I recommend 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water for just a slightly thicker broth.
If you prefer your broth even thicker, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water (or more, as needed). Cook the chicken stew with the cornstarch slurry for 30 more minutes on HIGH heat without a lid to allow some extra liquid to evaporate while the cornstarch works its magic. The end result will be the best chicken stew that you’ve ever tasted!
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm bowls of slow cooker chicken stew alongside a basket of 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuits, cast iron cornbread, or a loaf of crusty Dutch oven bread. For a crisp green side, try a kale apple salad with bacon, feta, and creamy poppy seed dressing, a wedge salad with buttermilk ranch dressing, or our favorite house salad with candied pecans.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: To prep ahead, chop all of the vegetables the night before, and then place them in a large zip-top bag or bowl with all of the seasonings in the fridge. In the morning, just dump the whole bag into the slow cooker, top with the chicken, and proceed with the rest of the instructions.
- How to Store: Stored properly in an airtight container, the leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. While the stew freezes fairly well, it’s important to know that the texture of the potatoes and vegetables will be mushy when thawed.
- How to Reheat: When chilled, the fat from the stew will rise to the top and harden. You can use a spoon to scrape off most of the fat, or you can simply leave it in the pot and stir it back into the dish when it heats up. Place the leftover chicken stew in a saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Cover and warm over low heat, just until it reaches the desired temperature. If it seems dry, you can add more broth to thin, as necessary. You can also reheat individual bowls of stew in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
I cooked this 2x already and it is perfect. Reheats very well. I will keep as a go to recipe at least once a month! Thanks!
– J. Haskin
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
Equipment
- Crock Pot (this one is big enough for the full stew)
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet onions, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or about 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or about 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, skin removed
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water (increase to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, or more slurry as needed for a thicker broth)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- For garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, garlic, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, rosemary, paprika, and poultry seasoning in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the chicken on top of vegetables.
- Pour chicken broth over everything, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- When there are about 30 minutes left in the cooking time, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred the meat. Return chicken meat to the slow cooker and discard bones. Discard bay leaf and herb stems (if using fresh herbs). In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the stew and cook on HIGH without the lid for 30 minutes (or until broth thickens a little bit). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, just before serving.
Notes
- Every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, I find that the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 3 hours or on LOW for about 6 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- The total amount of salt necessary will vary, depending on the saltiness of your broth and on your own personal taste preferences. Season as you go, and add extra if desired.
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t mind a thinner, more soup-like broth, you can skip the final step with the cornstarch. It will still taste delicious!
- Rotisserie chicken stew: Instead of the raw chicken, use chopped or shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Since you don’t need to cook the rotisserie chicken, add the shredded meat to the pot towards the end of the cooking time (when you add the cornstarch). This way it won’t get too dry while the stew simmers.
- I use peeled russet potatoes, but you can substitute with white potatoes, gold potatoes, or red potatoes. There’s no need to peel the white, gold, or red potatoes, since they have a thinner skin.
- Add different herbs and seasonings to make the stew your own. Try cayenne for heat, or different herbs like oregano, sage, dill, chives, or basil.
- Include other veggies such as sliced fresh mushrooms, frozen peas or corn, or frozen, cut green beans. To keep the frozen veggies crisp-tender (not mushy), wait to add them until the end of the cooking time. You don’t need to thaw them first.
- You might also enjoy a creamy chicken stew on the stove top.
More Popular Stew Recipes to Try
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
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Crockpot Brunswick Stew
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Crock Pot Beef Stew
8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
This post was originally published in December, 2017. It was updated in October, 2024.
Nothing cozier than a hearty chicken stew! This is perfect this time of year after all the indulgences of the holidays.
Exactly! I totally agree, Melissa! Thank you! 🙂
Wthis is such a great warming recipe thank you
Happy New Year
Definitely! Thanks, Gloria!
Hearty and flavorful. I used a regular chicken broth instead of low sodium and still added a little salt. Next time I think I will use the entire 4 cups in the carton instead of the 3 the recipe calls for. I also used boneless skinless chicken breast and found that the amount the recipe calls for (3-4 lbs) would be waaay too much this way. I used just under 3 lbs and had an entire breast that I didn’t end up shredding. 1.5-2 lbs would be fine if using boneless skinless.
Thank you for the feedback, Adelle! We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and enjoyed the recipe.
This is a perfect vegetable hearty soup. I have 1/2 rotisserie chicken that I need to use soon—so thought I would take the meat off the bone. This way I can cook the bones with the vegetables and add the cut up chicken during the last 45 minutes. I have no russet potatoes either, but do have 2 sweet potatoes. I will add them, add a can of white potatoes or a can of corn. There is a variety of things that you can add or delete, according to what you have on hand or what you prefer to eat. I normally, though, tend to go right by the recipe the first time—but not able to do that unless I want to go out in this single digit (including wind chill factor) weather on this beautiful New Year’s Eve day. Happy and Healthy 2018 to you and your followers.
Hi, Cathy! You’re absolutely right — you can definitely adapt this recipe to suit your tastes, preferences, and what you have on hand. It sounds like you have a great plan. I hope that your stew is delicious! 🙂
This looks so hearty and delicious! I’m saving this to make when the weather is cooler!
Thanks, Kristy! Yes, it’s definitely not a summer meal for you guys in Australia!
Blair I do not have a crock pot.
Can i adapt this recipe and make it on the stove.
Thank You
Mary
Hi, Mary! Definitely! I don’t know exactly how long it will take to cook on the stove, but you can definitely simmer it (covered) on low for an hour or two (or until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through).
Hi, Joe! The little k stands for “kilocalories.” It’s just 162 calories. Hope that makes sense. 🙂
Been looking for something like this for days! Tough to find healthy bone-in recipes…Every recipe wants to make it easy, with the boneless skinless chicken…But I wanted something that didn’t have pasta, was bone-in, and had a variety of appropriate spices (which I didn’t know about).
So many thanks!
Printing and adding to my cookbook binder.
Awesome, Dana! I hope that you love it! 🙂
Glad you figured it out, Lindsey! Yes, calorie counts generated by the recipe cards on websites can definitely vary, depending on the specific ingredients that the calculator uses. They’re great for a ballpark guide, but I definitely recommend double-checking using your specific ingredients if you need exact numbers. 🙂
I have made this stew twice now, and I love it. I was wondering if you knew how to alter the recipe for a pressure cooker? I’m thinking probably just alter the cooking time. But I’m a terrible cook, and well, you’re not! So, I thought it best to ask.
Hi Kelly! We haven’t tested it and can’t say for sure, but would try pressure cooking for about 5 minutes.
We’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try.
Do you add boneless chicken breast WHOLE on top of veggies??
Yes, you add them whole. 🙂 Step #4 says to remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker and chop or shred the meat. Hope that helps clarify!
Just made this. It is delicious!!!!!!!
Thank-you
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Will!
I just made the stew yesterday. I was delicious! I added a couple of other ingredients, cilantro, curry, masala and mushrooms. I am a fan of a thin sauce for soup. I was expecting for it to be a little thicker/heartier. So next time Iwill add more additional corn starch. My family also loved it, they just called it soup.
Great! Thanks, Tali! Your additions sound perfect. 🙂
Hi, Claire! Yes, you can. I would still cook for the same amount of time. Chicken thighs hold up well in a slow cooker without drying out, and this will give you enough time for the rest of the ingredients to cook through. Enjoy!
This was fantastic! Will definitely be making it again.
Awesome! Thank you, Jenn!
Totally Delicious!!! I used chicken thighs minus the skin. Almost at the end took the bones out very easy cause meat fell off the bone. Thicken sauce with corn starch. Even my Hubby said best meal he’s had for a while. Thank you
Wonderful! Thanks, Debra! 🙂
Delicious stew! Thank you! Also really appreciate all your tips and other info around making a chicken stew. So easy to read and follow. So much better than just following a recipe. Was just what we needed and not expensive to make. My toddler even enjoyed this one.
Wonderful! I’m so glad that your family enjoyed it, Alicia. Thanks for your kind note!
Will this be enough for 3 adults to have a good sized portion? It just sounds like 3 cups of broth won’t be enough?
Hi, Tom! Yep, it should be perfect. There will be more liquid in the pot by the end (thanks to the veggies and meat releasing liquid and the condensation in the pot). Plus, with the meat, veggies, and potatoes, it’s quite filling. Hope you enjoy the meal!
This was delicious! I didn’t add celery because my kids don’t like it and I went with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and it was hit. My entire family enjoyed it and it was soooo easy to make! This is going in the rotation. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Jessica!
Is it just 3 cups of broth? Or do I add water to cover everything
I will be using a 6 quart slow cooker
Hi, Lisa! That’s all the broth that you need, but there will be more liquid in the pot when everything is done cooking — thanks to the condensation and the natural liquids released by the meat and vegetables. You can always add more broth or water at the end if you prefer, but I’ve never thought it needed anything else. 🙂
Thank you. Just wanted to double check before I start.
If I use boneless skinless chicken breasts , will the cooking time change?
Also, how do i keep the chicken moist?
Hi, Janice! You can use the same cooking time, but boneless breasts tend to dry out easier if left in the pot longer. They won’t be bad, but I prefer thighs or bone-in breasts for that reason. You could shorten the cooking time to avoid drying out the meat, but your vegetables and potatoes may not be tender at that point (you’ll just have to check and see). My slow cooker runs at a pretty high temperature and tends to cook things relatively quickly, so my boneless skinless chicken breasts are often done with just 2 hours on HIGH or 3-4 hours on LOW. Hope that helps!
I cut the boneless breasts and mixed them in. It was tender and delicious.
Oh, glad to know that worked well! Thanks, Jane!
This is not your average tasting chicken soup/stew. The only changes I made to the recipe were 4 cups of broth instead of 3 cups I also added 4tbsp of cornstarch/4tbsp of water mixture at the end. My family almost fought over the left overs ! DELICIOUS!!
Thank you, Heather!
Hi, Dee! Since the chicken is bone-in, it’s going to be a lot heavier than a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Two very large bone-in chicken breasts will likely weigh between 3 and 4 pounds — but they won’t yield 3-4 pounds of actual cooked meat. If you’re using chicken thighs, however, you’ll need more than 2 thighs (since they’re smaller). Hope that helps clarify! 🙂
TY so much! Since I use boneless chicken breasts I just did not think about the weight with bones lol. TY for clearing that up. Love your recipes!! Look forward to making this. Have a great day.
Great! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi, I’m looking forward to making this! Can I cut up boneless breasts ahead of time and mix it in? My time is limited and fussing when I get home is not my thing. Thanks!
Hi, Jane! Absolutely! I don’t think you get as much flavor from chicken without the bone, but the boneless breasts or thighs will still work really well!