Description
A hearty and flavorful chicken stew made with boneless skinless chicken thighs, vegetables, and a rich tomato and beef broth base, simmered to perfection in a casserole pot. This comforting dish combines tender chicken, baby potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and green beans, enhanced with herbs and Worcestershire sauce, ideal for a satisfying family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 750 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 0.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbsp)
Vegetables
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced 1 cm thick
- 2 celery stalks, sliced 1 cm thick
- 350 g baby potatoes, halved
- 200 g mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
- 150 g green beans, trimmed and halved
Liquids & Sauces
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups (750 ml) low sodium beef stock or broth (or chicken broth)
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Herbs & Spices
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add chicken: Place olive oil in a large heavy based casserole pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides.
- Add garlic and onion: Stir in the minced garlic and sliced onion. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant and onion begins to soften.
- Add celery and carrots: Add the sliced celery and carrots to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer to evaporate alcohol: Allow the mixture to simmer rapidly for 2 minutes to cook off any winey alcohol smell if wine or similar ingredient is used.
- Add flour: Sprinkle the flour over the contents of the pot and stir well until fully incorporated and slightly browned.
- Gradually add broth: Slowly pour in half of the beef broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, then add the remaining broth.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Mix everything well.
- Add potatoes and simmer covered: Add the halved baby potatoes, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender and flavors meld.
- Add mushrooms and green beans: Remove the lid, add the mushrooms and green beans, and simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and cook the vegetables through.
- Serve: Serve the stew hot, optionally with crusty bread and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
- The lid should remain off during the last 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken properly.
- Use boneless chicken thighs for juicy, tender meat; chicken breast is not recommended as it can dry out but if used, add it only in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Bone-in chicken pieces can be used but require longer simmering; for crispy skin, consider a slow cooked oven chicken stew recipe instead.
- Adding red wine or dark beer like Guinness enhances flavor; if avoiding alcohol, brown bacon, mushrooms, and chicken separately to develop a rich fond for flavor.
- Beef broth is preferred for a richer, deeper color and flavor but chicken broth can also be used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1231 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 162 mg
