Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 6 h 20 min
Total time: 7 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, left whole; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 4 medium (340 g) carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds; 3 stalks (150 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) slices; 1 large (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch; 2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water; 1 cup (145 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender chicken thighs, buttery potatoes, carrots and celery simmer all day in a thyme-scented broth that thickens to a silky, spoon-coating stew. Almost no hands-on work, and a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 6 hr 20 min
Total: 7 hr 5 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, left whole
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
4 medium (340 g) carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds
3 stalks (150 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) slices
1 large (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs, whole
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
To finish
2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water
1 cup (145 g) frozen peas, no need to thaw
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (5)

6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker
Cutting board and chef's knife
Small bowl for the cornstarch slurry
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

This recipe needs a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker. In a smaller cooker, cut the recipe in half.
Plan on 6 to 7 hours on LOW. You can use HIGH for 3½ to 4 hours instead, but the chicken is more tender on LOW.
Use low-sodium chicken broth so you can control the salt. Taste at the end and adjust.
Cut the potatoes and carrots into the sizes given. Smaller pieces turn mushy and larger ones stay firm.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks, slice the carrots into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rounds, slice the celery into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, dice the onion, and mince the garlic.
- Trim any large pieces of fat from the chicken thighs.
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Ready when: Vegetable pieces are roughly uniform in size.
Tip: Keep the potato chunks at least 1 inch so they hold their shape over the long cook.
2
Layer the vegetables
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and potatoes to a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker.
- Tuck the thyme sprigs and bay leaves among them.
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Tip: Vegetables go on the bottom because they are closest to the heat and need the longest to soften.
3
Add chicken and broth
- Whisk the tomato paste into the chicken broth until no clumps remain.
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with the salt and pepper and nestle them in a single layer on top of the vegetables.
- Pour the broth mixture over everything.
- The liquid will not fully cover the food, which is correct, because the vegetables release water as they cook.
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Ready when: Tomato paste is fully dissolved in the broth.
Tip: Do not add extra broth now. Too much liquid gives a thin stew.
4
Slow cook
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours (or HIGH for 3½ to 4 hours).
- Keep the lid closed during cooking, because each peek adds 15 to 20 minutes.
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Ready when: A potato chunk is easily pierced with a fork and the chicken reads at least 175°F (80°C) in the thickest part.
Tip: Thighs are forgiving, but beyond 8 hours on LOW the potatoes begin to break apart.
5
Shred the chicken
- Lift the chicken onto a cutting board with tongs.
- Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves (the thyme leaves will have fallen off into the stew).
- Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces with two forks, then set it aside on the board.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart with almost no resistance.
Tip: Replace the lid on the cooker while you shred so the stew stays hot.
6
Thicken the stew
- Stir the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH, stir in the slurry, replace the lid, and cook for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Broth lightly coats the back of a spoon and no longer looks cloudy or raw.
Tip: Always mix cornstarch with cold water first. Adding it dry makes lumps.
7
Add peas and chicken
- Stir the shredded chicken and frozen peas into the stew.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 more minutes, until the peas are bright green and hot.
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Ready when: Peas are bright green and the whole stew is steaming hot.
Tip: Adding peas late keeps their color and sweetness.
8
Season and serve
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and add more salt, about ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the flavors are bold.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the parsley, if using.
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Ready when: Stew tastes savory and bright, not flat.
Tip: If the stew tastes flat, it almost always needs more salt or lemon, not more herbs.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the tomato paste. It adds savory depth that makes up for skipping the browning step.
For deeper flavor, brown the seasoned thighs in 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side, before adding them to the cooker.
Keep the lid on. Opening it repeatedly drops the temperature and lengthens the cooking time.
Serve with crusty bread or buttermilk biscuits to soak up the broth.

Make ahead

Chop the onion, carrots and celery and mince the garlic up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in airtight containers. Cut the potatoes just before cooking, or hold them in cold water in the fridge for up to 8 hours and drain well. The finished stew tastes even better the next day.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (potatoes will be slightly softer after thawing). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → bone-in, skin-off chicken thighs (about 3 lb / 1.35 kg). Cook the same time, then remove the bones when shredding. Check that they reach 175°F (80°C).
Yukon Gold potatoes → red potatoes. Same weight and size. Russets work too but break down more and thicken the stew.
fresh thyme sprigs → dried thyme. Use 2 teaspoons dried thyme in place of the 6 fresh sprigs and stir it in with the broth.
cornstarch → all-purpose flour. Use 3 tablespoons (24 g) whisked with the cold water, and cook 5 extra minutes to remove the raw flour taste.