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
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Crockpot Brunswick Stew
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Crock Pot Beef Stew
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This post was originally published in December, 2017. It was updated in October, 2024.
I made this and it was easy and delicious! I cut all ingredients in half except the spices and carrots and left out the salt and we just salted our servings lightly. I will be trying it with boneless breasts next time and see if we notice any difference, and I will also try it with thighs. This will now be a regular recipe during winter. Thank you!
Your version sounds wonderful, Annie! I’m so glad that you’ve taken the recipe as inspiration to create your own twist. Have fun experimenting with more combinations, and thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!
I read some recipes that say to precook the chicken (brown it) due to safety concerns of raw chicken in a slow cooker. Is this a concern?
Hi, Lisa! You shouldn’t need to precook the chicken before it goes into the Crock Pot. It’s not considered safe to put frozen chicken in the slow cooker (because it may take too long to come up to a safe temperature), but the slow cooker is designed for raw meat — so that’s no problem. Enjoy!
This was delicious, and so easy to make! I especially loved it because it lasted two nights for just the two of us, a bonus. I did use skinless thighs as we prefer dark meat, and used more cornstarch for a thicker gravy. However there is some flavor in the poultry spice that my husband doesn’t care for, this I am looking for ideas on how to flavor it with individual spices and herbs and would welcome any suggestions. Thank you Blair for a delicious recipe!
Hi, Merrilee! No problem — you can just add more of the thyme, salt and pepper, plus maybe a bit of dried or fresh parsley (in addition to what you put on top). So glad that you enjoyed it!
Just made this and was very happy! I know this is supposed to be a healthy recipe, but I love seasoning so and found this was far too little. I added about a tablespoon of each and added some cayenne pepper for a kick and some garlic. I like my stews hardy so added more cornstarch to my liking as well. Fun recipe to work with!
That’s great, Cami! I truly believe that recipes should serve as a basis for inspiration. There are so many different ways you can season or finish off this stew, so I’m glad that you made it your own! 🙂
Have been looking for a good Chicken Stew recipe for a long time so cannot wait to try this tomorrow. It looks and sounds delicious … I have two fussy eaters so before I add the thickener if I removed the chicken, potatoes & carrots & blended the stock, onion & celery do you reckon it would keep its hearty taste? Then put the chicken etc back in to serve?
Absolutely! You’ll still have all of that great flavor — even if you decide to puree the onion and celery with the broth. Sounds like a great way to keep the kiddos happy. 🙂
Perfect thank you. Always hide their veg what they dont know wont hurt them right?? 🙂 Cannot wait to try this tomorrow. I’m in Ireland so it is getting chilly now, time to bust out the slow cooker again. Thanks Blair
I hope the little ones approve! Enjoy that cool weather — it’s still hot and muggy here in the southeastern US! 🙂
Hello Blair. This is my first attempt at making your chicken stew.
When you add the bone in chicken breasts do you put them in bone side down on top of the veggies or bone side up with the meaty part of the breast on top of the veggies?
thank you.
Hi, Jane! I usually put the chicken in the slow cooker with the meaty breast-side up. Enjoy!
This soup is soooo good as is!!! I wouldn’t change a thing!!!
This soup is soooo good as is!!! I wouldn’t change a thing!!!
Thank you, Renee!
Hi Blair,
Can I use Trader Joe’s pre-cut/ chopped
“Mirepoix ” 14.5oz celery, carrot, onion? For your recipe?
Thank you
Hi, Shelley! I’m not familiar with that blend, but the ingredients sound perfect. I’m guessing they’re chopped smaller than I would otherwise chop the veggies for a stew, so they might break down into mush by the end of the long cooking time. It’s totally up to you — maybe you don’t mind that — but if you prefer larger chunks of carrots and celery, you might not want to use that mix if it’s smaller pieces of veggies. Also, just make sure that you have enough of the vegetable blend to really bulk up the stew. I’m not sure if that weight will be enough…
Hi Blair, I have prepped the chicken stew recipe to cook tomorrow. Since I am using leftover chicken from our roasted chicken dinner, how long would you recommend cooking time in the crock pot. The vegetables are raw and do need time to cook.
I can’t wait to try this out. Thank-you
Hi, Elinor! I find that vegetables still need about 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high in order to be tender. If your slow cooker runs at a relatively high temp and tends to cook things quickly, you might be able to get away with slightly shorter — about 4-5 hours on low or 2-2 1/2 hours on high. If you’re worried about the chicken drying out during that long cooking time, you can add it towards the end (during the final hour or so). That will give the meat a chance to warm through, but it won’t be overdone. Hope you enjoy!
I’ll try your recommendation, thanks so much!
The crock pot chicken stew was delicious, a hit with everyone in the family, thanks for a great recipe!
Oh, good! I’m so glad that it worked well for you, Elinor. Thanks for letting me know!
Sounds good. When prepping a day ahead of time, putting the veggies in a zip lock bag, as you suggested, I always thought the potatoes turn brown. Do they?
Hi, Mary! Yes, they might. I’ve had that issue, too. Once they cook and they’re mixed with the other ingredients, I don’t think it’s such a big deal. That said, you can always wait and add the potatoes on the day of cooking if you want to be sure they’re not discolored. Hope you enjoy the meal!
You can prep your potatoes the day ahead by peeling and cutting them, covering them completely with cold water in a pot or bowl, and putting them in refrigerator until ready to use. As long as they are completely submerged in the water, they will not turn brown. I do this often. Saves you the hassle of last minute prepping.
Great tip, Karen! Thank you!
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!
Thank you for letting me know. I’m so glad that you enjoy it!
I do not understand the calories for this stew. It says 162kcal??? That’s 162,000 calories? That makes no sense.
Hi, Buddy! No, kcal stands for kilocalories, which is used interchangeably with calories. So it’s 162 calories.
Not good! After cooking all day I had to finish it on top of the stove. I should know better than to use a slow cooker for anything but keeping food warm.
Don’t give up Greg. You can get some really great recipes you can make in the slow cooker. Keep trying.
After cooking on high 4 hours, this was a soup, not a stew at all. We are adding more cornstarch now to try to save it. Though maybe stovetop is a good idea for the end to evaporate some liquid. . . I’m super disappointed because I found this recipe as it was easily adaptable to be ‘oscopy friendly/low fiber. Oh well.
We’re sorry to hear this, Cindy. Did it thicken for you with the cornstarch?
Can I cut this recipe in half?
Hi, Natalie! Yes, you can!
Hi Blair,
I made this yesterday… made it as written with the exception of the potatoes – I used red. The smell as it was cooking was amazing – and once done the taste did not disappoint! I accidently fell upon your site while looking for different cooking sites. I have my regulars I go to, but just looking at others your site caught my attention – and your photography is beautiful. I look forward to trying MORE of your recipes.
Hi, Tricia. Thank you for your kind note. I’m so glad that you enjoy the recipes!
I made this yesterday it was the best. I used frozen breast chicken. It pulled apart tender and juicy. Followed all directions made a few changes as I had no rosemary so I added extra poultry seasoning as it has rosemary in it and used light Garlic powder (hubby doesn’t like garlic WTH LOL) added some celery salt and 2 tbls butter we loved it!!! Thank you!
Hi,
I just found this recipe and can’t wait to try it! I’m wondering approximately how many chicken breasts and thighs you need for this recipe? I know it says 3 -4 lbs, but trying to visualize how many that would be. Thanks.
Hi Faye!
Of course, measurements vary based on the size and thickness of your chicken. However, on average a single breast weighs about 6 oz, and a single thigh weighs about 5 oz. On average, you’ll need anywhere from 9-12 pieces of chicken.
Wonderful recipe! I added some cabbage & bell pepper (needed to use them up.) Used fresh rosemary. My husband love it! This recipe is a keeper!
Sounds delicious, Suzi! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!