This slow cooker chicken stew is one of our favorite meals to make on a busy day. With tender chicken, potatoes and carrots, it’s so comforting and flavorful!
You can’t beat the ease of crockpot chicken recipes for getting dinner on the table! Try my Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup, Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings and Crockpot Chicken Tacos next.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is perfect for busy weeknights
I first made this slow cooker chicken stew on a double soccer practice night, when my family needed to eat in shifts. We kept it warm in the slow cooker on low and it was perfect and so delicious, warm and comforting. I immediately knew I had to share the recipe with you!
Slow cooker meals are my favorite for busy weeknights. I love the convenience of getting the prep work of making dinner done ahead of time! This recipe is really easy to put together, and all that’s left to do at dinnertime is shred the chicken. Like my stovetop Chicken Stew, this slow cooker chicken stew is so cozy. I like to serve it with some crusty bread, a quick batch of Drop Biscuits or a salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe is made with simple ingredients. Here’s a look at what you’ll need:
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
This recipe starts on the stove, with browning the chicken and sautรฉing the onion and garlic. These steps make a big difference in the flavor of the stew, so don’t skip them!
Brown the chicken. First, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Then brown it on both sides in a skillet on the stove. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
Sautรฉ aromatics and make roux to thicken the stew. Melt the butter in the skillet, then add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Pour about ยฝ cup of the chicken broth into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The mixture will thicken; this is the roux that will thicken the stew. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker.
Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: carrots, celery, potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and the rest of the broth.
Slow cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
Shred the chicken. Then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Chicken Thighs: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. No other modifications to the recipe are needed.
- Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with olive oil.
- Gluten-Free: Omit the flour from the recipe. After the stew has slow cooked for 7 hours on low or 3 1/2 hours on high, make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Stir this into the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 more hour.
- Make it Creamy: Stir 1/3 cup of heavy cream into the stew after slow cooking.
- Instant Pot Instructions: Use the Instant Pot sautรฉ function to do the stovetop steps. After cooking the garlic and flour for 30 seconds, pour in about half of the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Then continue with the recipe, pressure cooking the stew on high pressure for 7 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release. Then manually release the remaining pressure.
More Favorite Crockpot Meals
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- Crockpot Whole Chicken
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ยฝ 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 ยฝ cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
- 4 medium carrots, sliced into ยผ-inch thick rounds or half rounds
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the 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 to the skillet and brown on both sides. Then transfer the chicken to the slow cooker. (It will not be cooked through yet.)
- Add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Pour about ยฝ cup of the chicken broth into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the carrots, celery, potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and remaining broth. Stir gently to combine, then spread the veggies out 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 chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken to a clean bowl or cutting board. Let it rest for a few minutes, then shred the chicken and stir it back into the stew. Serve.
Notes
- Storage: 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.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for the chicken breasts. No other changes to the recipe are needed.
- Dairy-Free:ย Replace the butter with olive oil.
- Gluten-Free:ย Omit the flour from the recipe. After the stew has slow cooked for 7 hours on low or 3 1/2 hours on high, make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Stir this into the slow cooker andย cook on highย for 1 more hour.
- Make it Creamy:ย Stir 1/3 cup of heavy cream into the stew after slow cooking.
- Instant Pot Instructions:ย Use the Instant Pot sautรฉ function to do the stovetop steps. After cooking the garlic and flour for 30 seconds, pour in about half of the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Then continue with the recipe, pressure cooking the stew on high pressure for 7 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release. Then manually release the remaining pressure.
