Cozy Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

Name: Cozy Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Carrots
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lb (about 8 thighs) (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted very dry with paper towels; 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, divided: 1½ tsp for the chicken, remainder for adjusting at the end; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice; 4 medium (about 14 oz) (400 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into ¾-inch rounds; 3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, sliced ½-inch thick; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warmed; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed (peel left on) and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bone-in chicken thighs are seared, then simmered on the stovetop with carrots, celery, and Yukon Gold potatoes in a lightly thickened, herby broth. The result is a rich, hearty one-pot stew with tender shredded chicken, finished with peas, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 20 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 55 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 lb (about 8 thighs) (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted very dry with paper towels
2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, divided: 1½ tsp for the chicken, remainder for adjusting at the end
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
4 medium (about 14 oz) (400 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into ¾-inch rounds
3 ribs (about 5 oz) (150 g) celery ribs, sliced ½-inch thick
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warmed
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, left whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed (peel left on) and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup (140 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice

Equipment (8)

5½- to 7-quart (5 to 6.5 L) heavy lidded pot or Dutch oven (stovetop use only)
Large cutting board and sharp chef's knife
Tongs
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Large plate for the seared chicken
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

This recipe is made entirely on the stovetop. No oven or preheating is needed.
Pat the chicken dry and let it sit at room temperature while you chop the vegetables (about 20 minutes) so it sears evenly.
Cut the potatoes and carrots to the sizes given. Uniform pieces cook at the same pace, so the potatoes don't turn to mush before the carrots soften.
Use a 5½- to 7-quart heavy lidded pot (a Dutch oven is ideal). A smaller pot will crowd the chicken and make searing difficult.
Use low-sodium broth so you control the seasoning. Salt is adjusted at the end.

1
Prep and season
- Peel and cut the onion, carrots, and celery and cut the potatoes as listed.
- Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water until needed, then drain them well before using.
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides with 1½ teaspoons of the kosher salt and all of the black pepper.
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Ready when: Chicken skin looks dry and matte, and all vegetables are cut into even pieces.
Tip: Dry skin is the key to browning. Wet chicken steams instead of searing.
2
Sear the chicken
- Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add 4 thighs skin-side down, leaving space between them.
- Cook without moving for 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily.
- Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with the remaining thighs.
- Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot, leaving the browned bits on the bottom.
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Ready when: Skin is deep golden brown and crisp at the edges. The chicken will not be cooked through yet.
Tip: If the skin sticks, give it another minute. It releases from the pot once it is properly browned. If the bottom of the pot starts to smell burnt, lower the heat to medium.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the remaining tablespoon of fat.
- Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent and the edges of the vegetables are lightly golden.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and the bottom of the pot is mostly free of browned bits.
4
Build the base
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir constantly for 1 minute, until the garlic smells fragrant and the paste darkens to a brick red.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 more minute so there are no dry flour patches and the raw flour taste cooks off.
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Ready when: Vegetables are coated in a thick, brick-red paste with no dry flour visible.
Tip: Keep stirring. Garlic and tomato paste burn quickly and turn bitter.
5
Add broth and simmer chicken
- Pour in the broth about 1 cup at a time, stirring and scraping the bottom after each addition so the flour dissolves with no lumps.
- Add the thyme and bay leaves.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back in, skin-side up, along with any juices from the plate.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil.
- Then reduce to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes, with only small bubbles breaking the surface.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with small bubbles at the edges and has thickened slightly to coat a spoon.
Tip: Keep the skin above the liquid so it stays golden. A hard boil makes the chicken tough.
6
Add the potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and scatter them around and between the chicken pieces, pushing them down into the broth as far as you can.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and keep simmering over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, stirring gently once halfway through, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender and the chicken reads at least 175°F (80°C) at the thickest part, away from the bone.
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Ready when: A fork slides into a potato chunk with no resistance, and the chicken registers at least 175°F (80°C) (165°F / 74°C is the minimum safe temperature).
Tip: Thighs are juicier and more tender at 175–195°F (80–90°C) than at the minimum safe temperature of 165°F (74°C).
7
Shred the chicken
- Turn off the heat.
- Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and let it cool for 3 minutes.
- Fish out and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves.
- Pull off and discard the skin, then pull the meat from the bones in bite-size pieces and discard the bones.
- Stir the meat back into the stew.
- Use a spoon to skim off any excess fat from the surface.
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Ready when: Meat pulls easily from the bone and the juices run clear.
Tip: Count the bay leaves as you remove them so none end up in a bowl. Thyme leaves will have fallen off, and that's fine.
8
Finish and rest
- Return the pot to low heat.
- Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes, until bright green and heated through.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice.
- Taste and add up to ½ teaspoon more kosher salt if needed.
- Let the stew rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes so it thickens slightly before serving.
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Ready when: Peas are bright green and the broth is glossy and clings lightly to a spoon.
Tip: Add the lemon at the end. Cooking it in dulls its brightness.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip browning the chicken. The browned bits left in the pot give the stew most of its deep flavor.
Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay moist during a long simmer. Removing the skin before serving keeps the stew from tasting greasy.
To thicken further, mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir them into the broth.
Serve with crusty bread or over buttered egg noodles to soak up the broth.

Make ahead

The stew can be made through step 7 (before adding the peas, parsley, and lemon) up to 2 days ahead. Cool it, refrigerate in an airtight container, then reheat gently over medium-low heat and finish with the peas, parsley, and lemon juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cool completely, then store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, although the potatoes will be a little softer after thawing. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened, until steaming hot throughout (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or a mix of drumsticks and thighs. Breasts cook faster. Add them in step 5 for only 15 minutes and take them out when they reach 165°F (74°C), or they will dry out.
Yukon Gold potatoes → red potatoes or peeled russets. Red potatoes hold their shape well. Russets break down more and thicken the stew, so cut them slightly larger.
all-purpose flour → 1½ tbsp (12 g) cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water. Skip the flour in step 4. After step 6, stir in the slurry and simmer 2 minutes. This makes the stew gluten-free if your broth is too.
fresh lemon juice → apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Use 1 tsp (5 ml) to add the same brightness.