Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is a hearty, make-ahead meal packed with chicken, potatoes, and carrots in a rich, flavorful broth. Serve it with crusty bread or homemade biscuits and a fresh salad.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to season the chicken
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth divided
- 4 medium carrots sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 1 pound baby potatoes halved
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and brown on both sides, then transfer it to the slow cooker. It won’t be fully cooked yet.
- Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add garlic and flour, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Pour in about ½ cup of chicken broth and scrape up any remaining browned bits. Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker.
- In the slow cooker, add carrots, celery, potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and the remaining broth. Stir gently to combine, then spread the vegetables into an even layer in the broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken and place it on a clean cutting board or in a bowl. Let it rest for a few minutes, then shred it and stir it back into the stew. Serve warm.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding extra broth as needed.
Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead of chicken breasts with no other changes to the recipe.
Dairy-Free: Substitute olive oil for butter.
Gluten-Free: Skip the flour. After slow cooking for 7 hours on low or 3 ½ hours on high, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Stir it into the stew and cook on high for 1 more hour.
Make it Creamy: Stir in 1/3 cup of heavy cream after the stew has finished slow cooking.
Instant Pot Instructions: Use the sauté function to complete the stovetop steps. After cooking the garlic and flour for 30 seconds, pour in half of the broth and scrape up any browned bits. Follow the recipe as directed, pressure cooking on high for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, then manually release any remaining pressure.