Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

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An easy chicken stew, made in the slow cooker. Juicy chicken pieces, hearty vegetables and a creamy gravy come together in this simple and comforting family meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5 30

Total Time5 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
2 sticks celery sliced (about 1 cup)
1 (8-oz) package sliced mushrooms
1 lb gold potatoes scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch chunks
2 medium-large carrots peeled and sliced into coins (about 1 cup
1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning divided use
salt & pepper to taste
1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces skin removed (I use thighs and drumsticks)
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn starch
½ cup frozen peas

Instructions

Prep:  This recipe works best in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. If yours is smaller or larger, the cooking time may be different from the recipe.
Sauté aromatics:  Melt the butter in a medium-large skillet. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Place in the slow cooker.  
Add the mushrooms to the same skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Place in the slow cooker, too.
1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium onion, 2 sticks celery, 1 (8-oz) package sliced mushrooms
Assemble stew:  Add the potatoes and carrots to the slow cooker as well, along with ½ tablespoon of garlic herb seasoning and salt/pepper to taste. Stir.   Pour in the chicken broth, then place the chicken pieces on top (the bottom of the chicken should be in liquid).   Sprinkle with the remaining ½ tablespoon seasoning.
1 lb gold potatoes, 2 medium-large carrots, 1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning, salt & pepper, 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth, 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
Slow cook:  Close the lid and cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours or on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Thicken gravy:  Open the slow cooker and remove the chicken to a cutting board. Set aside.   Whisk together the heavy cream and the corn starch, then stir it into the stew. Stir in the peas and close the lid.
½ cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon corn starch, ½ cup frozen peas
Shred chicken:  In the meantime, pull the chicken off the bones, pick over to remove all bones, and pull the chicken meat into pieces (do not shred it into tiny strings, it dries out too much).   Stir it into the stew, close the slow cooker lid again and continue cooking the stew for 30 more minutes.
Finish and serve:  Stir the stew, check that it’s simmering so the cornstarch could do its thickening magic, and check for seasoning.   Serve immediately.

Notes

Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs to save time. It will be a little less juicy and flavorful, but still very delicious.

If you want to skip the sauté step, you can. Take note that the onion and celery will be a little less flavorful and the gravy may end up a little thinner.

If you like a very thick gravy, feel free to double up on the cornstarch (my family likes a brothier gravy).

I do not recommend any substitutes for the heavy cream, because lower fat dairy is more prone to curdling.

Nutrition