Hearty Chicken Stew
This hearty chicken stew recipe is a cozy stew filled with tender chicken, crispy bacon, and plenty of vegetables, herbs, seasonings, and more to give it a delicious, complex flavor. It is a simple chicken stew recipe and is the ultimate comfort food to serve with warm, crusty bread or, my favorite way, on a bed of mashed potatoes or cauliflower. 
This hearty stew is overflowing with delicious reasons you will love it. When you are craving a beef stew, but maybe only have chicken in the house, this will become your go-to stew recipe. There are tons of tender pieces of chicken that are cooked until golden brown, and the crispy bacon brings such a delicious saltiness to this soup. It’s packed full of tons of veggies, and the tomatoes and vinegar in here give it a delicious acidic kick. This is an easy one-pot meal for a cold night, or really just anytime you are craving a healthy and nutritious meal. Grab a slice of crusty bread to sop up all the delicious broth along the way. If you’re on any type of medically restrictive diet, this healthy chicken stew is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo, Whole30, Keto, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.
Why You Will Love This Hearty Chicken Stew Recipe
- It is super quick and easy and can be on the table in less than an hour.
- This is the ultimate comfort food packed with simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. It’s full of salty bacon, tender chicken, tons of fresh vegetables, and more. It is so unbelievably nutritious!
- This is a freezer-friendly recipe and is the best chicken stew recipe for a meal prep item!
- It is super versatile. You can add more veggies if you want, or if you’re not SCD, you can add potatoes. You can swap the vegetables to your liking and change the beef stock for chicken stock, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.
- This hearty chicken stew is perfect if you want a dairy-free, gluten-free, or grain-free recipe. It is also Paleo, Keto, Whole30, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.
Ingredients You Need To Make This Chicken Stew Recipe
- Chicken thigh: Chicken thighs make delicious and tender chunks of chicken in this classic chicken stew and will stay tender and juicy even with a longer cooking time. But if you don’t have chicken thighs on hand or if you prefer white meat, chicken breast will work great in this recipe.
- Bacon: The salty, umami flavor of bacon is superb. Cutting it into small pieces before cooking will give you a great crunchy result.
- Vegetables: Between the sweetness of the carrots, the crunchiness of the celery, the incredible umami flavor of the mushrooms, and the burst of flavor from the green beans added at the end, this stew is packed full of satisfying and filling ingredients. Feel free to substitute or add vegetables to meet your preferences. Green Peas would be a great substitute for green beans, for example.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme and Bay Leaves are the perfect herby balance in this easy chicken stew recipe. Fresh thyme sprigs will give such a delicious flavor, but you could use dried thyme instead if that is what you have on hand. Add or substitute the thyme with rosemary, basil, oregano, or marjoram. Parsley is the perfect garnish for this stew. Season to your taste.
- Vinegars: Balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar give this soup the perfect balance of acidic zest. You can exchange the red wine vinegar for white wine vinegar if you prefer, but I wouldn’t skip out on the balsamic.
- Tomatoes: The tomato paste will add the classic thick and filling consistency of the classic stew, and the canned tomatoes add a classic tomato zestiness. Be sure to check the ingredient list to be sure they don’t contain any additives.
- Stock or Broth: Beef stock will give you the delicious flavor of a beef stew, but you could also substitute it with beef broth. If you want a consistent chicken flavor throughout, you could definitely use chicken stock or chicken broth. Be sure to check the ingredient lists to check for additives.
How To Make This Chicken Stew Recipe
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and cook for 4 minutes before adding in the chopped bacon. Cook until chicken is golden brown and bacon is nice and crispy. Remove the chicken and bacon from the pot and set aside.
- Saute the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining vegetables, season with salt, and cook until soft.
- Add the thyme, bay leaf, vinegars, tomato paste, and beef stock to the large pot. Bring to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat. Add the canned tomatoes and return the chicken and bacon to the pot. Cover and leave to simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes.
- Add green beans and simmer until tender. Feel free to add more beef stock if the sauce thickens too much, or if you prefer it thicker, you can mix a bit of flour, arrowroot flour, or corn starch with a bit of water and add in the last 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.
You can find detailed step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
Can I Make This Chicken Stew In The Slow Cooker?
Making this in the slow cooker is a wonderful option for those days when you need simplicity in your life. Prep the meat by browning chicken pieces and crisping the bacon, with the onion and garlic, to bring out the flavor, in a large skillet first. Add meat, veggies, and remaining ingredients into the slow cooker, except the green beans. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally throughout the day. Add the green beans in the last hour so they don’t get too mushy. If you prefer a thicker stew you can mix flour, arrowroot flour, or cornstarch with a bit of water and add in the 30 minutes.
Can I Make This Chicken Stew Recipe In The Instant Pot?
Yes! This is a perfect option if you want a speedier chicken stew. Using the saute setting, brown your chicken cubes, crisp up your bacon, and soften your onion and garlic. Add your remaining ingredients and seal the lid. On high pressure, cook for 10 minutes. The pressure cooker will take about 10 minutes to come to full pressure before the cooking begins. Once the cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes. If it is too thick, feel free to add more beef stock to thin it down. If you prefer a thicker stew, mix flour, arrowroot flour, or cornstarch with a bit of water and add in at the end.
What To Serve With This Hearty Chicken Stew
I recommend serving this hearty chicken stew over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash. Another great option would be a slice of freshly baked bread or a crusty baguette to absorb all of that delicious sauce.
A fresh-tossed salad is always a great option, or try my Orange, Avocado, and Candied Pistachio Salad or a Whole30 Wedge Salad. Other side dishes that I like to serve with this chicken stew include roasted fennel, roasted carrots or broccoli.
What About Leftovers
This hearty chicken stew is a great recipe for leftovers. The flavors will continue to meld and make it even better the second time around. Bring the soup to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. Store individual servings for an even easier meal prep item. Warm in the microwave or on the stove on low-medium heat.
Here are a few more hearty soups and stews that you might enjoy…
- Mexican Beef Stew
- Chunky Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Chicken, Mushroom, and Leek Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Brisket Chili
- Beef & “Barley” Soup
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Hearty Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 ounces bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups quartered mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
- 7 ounces green beans cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Instructions
- In a large pot heat the oil on medium high heat. Add in the diced chicken thighs and cook for 4 minutes before adding in the chopped bacon. Cook for approximately 5 more minutes until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is seared and golden in colour. Remove the chicken and bacon from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes before adding in the carrots, celery and mushrooms, season with salt and leave to cook for 5 more minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Next add the thyme, bay leaves, vinegars, tomato paste and beef stock to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and then add in the canned tomatoes and return the chicken and bacon to the pot. Cover and leave to simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes of cooking, add the green beans to the pot and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the beans are tender. If the sauce thickens too much, add another 1/2 - 1 cup of beef stock to thin it out. Serve the chicken stew garnished with chopped parsley.
Nutrition
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