This chicken stew is the ultimate comfort food! Cozy and delicious, it’s made with chicken thighs that are fall-apart tender, potatoes, carrots and celery, and is loaded with flavor. It’s incredibly satisfying, soul warming and a giant hug in a bowl.

Who needs a hug in a bowl?!

This chicken stew is exactly that – warming, comforting and so delicious with tender vegetables, meat that is tender and juicy and a coziness that is welcomed the most this time of year. I can’t wait to tell you about it. 

It is simple, flavorful and great served with some sourdough or biscuits! True comfort food that everyone loves – it makes you feel like home. 

Also, when I was testing this recipe last year, I had it saved as “chicken stew, best ever” – ha! So that should tell you just HOW delicious it is. 

This is the kind of recipe I crave all winter long. It reminds me of comfort food my mom would make when I was kid and it’s just delightful. 

We love a hearty beef stew. It’s what I make most often, but Eddie loves chicken thighs and when I found myself with a pack that had to be used, this is the first thing I thought of. A cozy, comforting stew where the chicken falls apart and is so tender, the broth is rice but not heavy or creamy, the potatoes and carrots just melt in your mouth and the flavor is over-the-top outstanding. 

And here we are! 

A chicken stew that I can make over and over again, that we all enjoy so much. Tastes amazing, is nourishing and one of those feel-good dishes that warms you right down to your soul. 

This is how I make it!

I start by browning the chicken thighs. See, I want a lot of flavor on them! I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs just so I can easily shred them in the soup. 

Once those are browned and golden and crisp, I remove them and add the vegetables. Onions, carrots, mushrooms and celery along with some garlic. I like to cook these until they soften. I deglaze the pan with a bit of white wine here too. 

Then it’s time to toss in the potatoes and the stock. The chicken goes back in at this point too. Bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and cover it, letting everything become extra tender and fabulous. 

To thicken this, I like to use a slurry. I prefer it instead of a roux and find it works so well. It’s never grainy and it doesn’t separate. I shake together some flour and milk (you could even use stock!) and add it right into the soup. It boils for a few minutes more until it’s slightly thickened. Perfect! 

Taste it, season more if needed, then shred that chicken. Deeeeeelish. 

Not only is it amazing when you eat it right after preparing, it also reheats so well. It freezes great too! Eddie will take leftovers for lunch and it’s such a cozy dish to have during a winter chill. 

I want to snuggle up in the bowl!

Cozy, Comforting Chicken Stew

Chicken Stew

Yield: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
This chicken stew is the ultimate comfort food! Cozy and delicious, it's made with chicken thighs that are fall-apart tender, potatoes, carrots and celery, and is loaded with flavor. It's incredibly satisfying, soul warming and a giant hug in a bowl.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4 from 1 vote
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • As a note, you want the potatoes, carrots and celery to be roughly the same size. Keep this in mind when chopping the vegetables and deciding if you should quarter or halve the potatoes.
  • Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Season it with the smoked paprika and garlic powder.
  • Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides - about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • In the same pot, add in the onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms and celery. Add another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring well to remove any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the potatoes, put the chicken thighs back in and cover with chicken stock. Add a few springs of fresh thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
  • After 30 minutes, use kitchen tongs or forks to shred the chicken in the soup.
  • Combine the milk and flour in a shake cup or jar, shaking for 30 seconds to combine. Stream it into the soup while stirring. Bring the mixture back to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remember, the soup is only as flavorful as your stock, so you may need to add quite a bit more salt!
  • Serve immediately with chopped fresh parsley.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Author: How Sweet Eats
Instagram

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!

Truly cozy.