This Chicken Stew is thick and hearty, filled with potatoes, vegetables and chicken in a flavorful herby broth.

Looking for more hearty, cozy meals? Try my Chili Recipe, Chicken and Dumplings or Instant Pot Beef Stew next!

Chicken stew in a Dutch oven pot.

I have the best meal for you to make on a cold, rainy day: Chicken Stew! Loaded with baby potatoes, carrots and chicken, it’s warming, nourishing and so satisfying.

You may be wondering what’s the difference between chicken stew and chicken soup? This chicken stew has a thicker broth and more chunky vegetables than you’ll find in a Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s richly flavored, starting with a base of onion, carrots, celery and garlic and then seasoned with thyme, rosemary and Italian seasoning. The chicken is browned in the pot before it simmers in the soup, a step that brings even more flavor to this rustic dish.

Chicken stew served in a bowl.

Ingredient Notes

  • Chicken: I usually make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer chicken thighs, they also work well here. You can use boneless or bone-in chicken, just know that bone-in may take a bit longer to cook through and you’ll need to discard the bones when shredding the chicken.
  • Onion, Carrots and Celery: This trio of vegetables adds depth of flavor.
  • Butter and Flour: These combine to thicken the stew. The butter also adds richness and flavor.
  • Chicken Broth: Use low sodium chicken broth so that the stew doesn’t turn out too salty.
  • Potatoes: Baby potatoes are perfect for stew; cut them in half to make bite-size pieces. I love to use a mix of red and gold baby potatoes for color and flavor variety.
  • Herbs: Dried thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning and bay leaves add savory, woodsy flavor. I used dried herbs in this recipe for convenience. If you prefer to use fresh thyme and/or rosemary, double the amounts since the flavor is less concentrated.

Find the full ingredient list and recipe instructions in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for chicken stew recipe.

How to Make Chicken Stew

Brown the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, such as a Dutch oven. Add the chicken and sear on both sides until browned. Remove chicken to a clean plate. (It will not be cooked through yet.)

Browning two large chicken breasts in a Dutch oven pot.

Sauté the aromatics. Add the butter, onion, carrots and celery to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, until softened.

Sautéing onion, carrots and celery in pot with a wooden spoon.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds to cook off the raw flour taste. Then stir in the chicken broth, potatoes and seasonings. Nestle the chicken into the broth.

Pouring chicken broth into pot.
Potatoes and seasonings added to pot.
Chicken breasts added to pot with other stew ingredients.

Simmer. Cover the pot and cook the stew at a low simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are soft, about 20-25 minutes.

Shred the chicken. Then stir it back into the stew. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken stew in pot with a ladle full of stew set in the pot.

What to Serve with Chicken Stew

Serve chicken stew with some crusty bread, Dinner Rolls or Drop Biscuits and a simple Green Salad, Arugula Salad or Kale Salad.

To Store, Freeze and Reheat

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Stew may be reheated in a pot on the stove or in the microwave; add additional broth as needed when reheating.

A bowl of chicken stew with a spoon on the side.
Close up of chicken stew in a pot.
5 from 6 ratings

Chicken Stew

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
This Chicken Stew is thick and hearty, filled with potatoes, vegetables and chicken in a flavorful herby broth. Serve it with some crusty bread and a simple green salad for an easy, satisfying dinner.
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper, to season the chicken
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Once the pot is hot, add the chicken to the pan and brown on both sides. Then transfer the chicken to a clean plate. (It will not be cooked through yet.)
  • Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook until softened, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
  • Stir in the chicken broth. Then stir in the potatoes, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the pot. Nestle the chicken down into the broth.
  • Bring to a low simmer, then cover the pot and simmer (adjust the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer) until the chicken is cooked through to 165° F and the vegetables are soft, about 20-25 minutes.
  • Once chicken is cooked through, remove it to a clean bowl or cutting board. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it and stir it back into the stew.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve stew garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

  • Chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless) or bone-in chicken breasts may be substituted for the boneless chicken breasts. They may take longer to cook through; use an instant read thermometer to check that the internal temperature is at least 165° F. Remove the chicken from the bones before shredding.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Stew may be reheated in a pot on the stove or in the microwave; add additional broth as needed when reheating.
Calories: 309kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 417mg, Potassium: 1086mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 7052IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
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