Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is the bowl of pure, old-fashioned comfort recipe. Tender chicken, chunky potatoes, sweet carrots, and celery all slow-cook together in a rich, savory broth seasoned with garlic, thyme, and bay leaves until every single bite melts with warmth and flavor. You need just one pot, a handful of everyday ingredients, and about 15 minutes of morning prep.

Love More Recipes? Try My Slow Cooker Street Corn Chicken or this Slow Cooker French Dip next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deeply savory, hearty broth that tastes like it simmered all day — because it did.
• Completely hands-off cooking — 15 minutes of prep and the slow cooker handles everything else.
• Wholesome one-pot meal — protein, vegetables, and rich broth all in a single pot.
• Every age at the table loves it — picky eaters and adventurous ones alike clear their bowls.
• Even better leftover — the flavor deepens overnight into something truly spectacular.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Stew:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (thighs stay far juicier than breasts through a long slow cook — use breasts if you prefer, but watch the time)
• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks (Yukon Golds hold their shape better than russets)
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
• 3 stalks celery, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening — whisk with a little cold broth first to avoid lumps)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for optional searing)
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Why These Ingredients Work

Chicken thighs are the right choice for any long slow cook. Their natural fat content and connective tissue break down gradually over hours into fork-tender, juicy pieces that absorb the broth deeply — breasts cooked this long tend to become stringy and dry. If you only have breasts on hand, reduce the cook time by about 1 hour and watch them carefully.

Tomato paste is a small but mighty addition that adds a deep, concentrated savory backbone to the broth without making the stew taste like tomato soup. Just two tablespoons build a richness and color that elevates the whole pot from basic to genuinely crave-worthy.

Worcestershire sauce brings a complex, almost meaty umami note that makes the broth taste like it spent hours developing depth on a stovetop. It works quietly in the background — you won’t taste Worcestershire distinctly, you’ll just notice that everything tastes more layered and satisfying.

Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape through the long cooking time while absorbing the rich broth into their creamy, buttery flesh. Russet potatoes disintegrate and turn the stew grainy — Yukons give you the perfect balance of substance and tenderness in every spoonful.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 6-quart slow cooker
• Large heavy skillet (for optional searing step)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Small bowl for flour slurry
• Ladle for serving
• Deep soup bowls

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Optional — Sear the Chicken for Deeper Flavor

Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the chicken 3 minutes per side until golden brown

Step 2: Load the Slow Cooker

Add the diced onion, minced garlic, potato chunks, carrot rounds, and celery pieces to the slow cooker around and on top of the chicken. Stir the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce into the chicken broth in a separate bowl until dissolved, then pour the mixture over everything.

Step 3: Slow Cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Do not lift the lid during cooking

Step 4: Shred the Chicken and Thicken the Stew

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Discard the bay leaves. Whisk the flour with 3 tablespoons of cold broth or water in a small bowl until completely smooth.

Stir the slurry into the hot stew in the slow cooker, then return the shredded chicken. Cook on HIGH uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until the broth thickens into a glossy, hearty stew consistency.

Step 5: Taste, Adjust, and Serve

Taste the broth now and adjust salt, pepper, and thyme to your liking. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread or buttered dinner rolls alongside for soaking up every drop of that gorgeous broth.

You Must Know

Cut the potatoes and carrots into large, substantial chunks — at least 1 to 1½ inches. Small pieces dissolve completely over 7 to 8 hours of low cooking and create a muddy, overcooked texture instead of satisfying, hearty bites. Bigger pieces hold their shape and still become perfectly tender.

Always whisk the flour with cold liquid first before stirring it into the hot stew. Flour added dry directly into a hot liquid creates stubborn lumps that stir endlessly without ever fully dissolving. The slurry method produces a smooth, evenly thickened broth every single time.

Personal Secret: Stir 1 tablespoon of butter into the finished stew right before ladling it into bowls. The butter swirls into the hot broth and adds a glossy richness that rounds out every flavor and makes the whole stew taste noticeably more finished and restaurant-worthy.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Sear the chicken before slow cooking even if you only have 5 extra minutes — that golden crust is pure flavor that cold chicken in a slow cooker simply cannot build.
• Add a parmesan rind to the broth during the slow cook — it adds a subtle, deeply savory umami depth that is completely invisible but unmistakable in the finished stew.
• Never cook chicken stew on HIGH for more than 4 hours — the chicken dries out fast once it passes the done mark on a high heat setting.
• For extra body, mash a few of the cooked potato pieces against the side of the slow cooker before adding the flour slurry — the starch thickens the broth naturally.
• Make this stew the day before a big family dinner — it tastes measurably better after overnight refrigeration as all the flavors settle and deepen.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

For a creamy version, stir in half a cup of heavy cream or sour cream in the last 20 minutes of cooking. The cream transforms the broth into something velvety and indulgent that feels like a completely different dish — deeply satisfying and perfect for cold weather evenings.

Add 1 cup of frozen green peas and a handful of fresh baby spinach in the final 15 minutes for a brighter, more colorful stew with extra vegetables. Both cook down quickly in the residual heat and add a fresh, vibrant contrast to the deep, savory broth.

For a Tuscan-inspired version, add a can of drained white cannellini beans and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the slow cooker at the start. Finish with a generous handful of roughly torn fresh basil stirred in right before serving for a completely different flavor profile that still uses the same simple, hands-off technique.

Make-Ahead Options

This stew is one of the best make-ahead meals in existence. Cook the full recipe and refrigerate it completely cooled in an airtight container for up to 4 days — the flavor genuinely improves by day two as everything melds and deepens. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a splash of broth if the stew thickened too much in the refrigerator.

Freeze the fully cooked stew in portioned airtight containers for up to 3 months. The potatoes soften slightly after freezing and thawing but the flavor remains excellent. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring occasionally. Always add fresh parsley after reheating rather than before freezing.

What to Serve With Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Warm crusty bread or a basket of soft buttered dinner rolls on the table is the most classic, most satisfying pairing for this stew — there is no better tool for mopping up that rich, savory broth than a thick slice of good bread. Toast the bread lightly and let it crisp at the edges for extra texture.

A simple side salad with crisp romaine, shaved Parmesan, and lemon vinaigrette provides a cool, bright contrast to the warm, rich stew. The acidity in the lemon dressing cuts through the savory broth beautifully and refreshes the palate between bites.

Serve with a glass of cold iced sweet tea or warm apple cider on a cool evening — both drinks complement the homey, herb-seasoned flavors of the stew without competing with the savory broth. For wine lovers, a medium-bodied Chardonnay pairs beautifully.

A warm, golden skillet of cornbread alongside this stew turns a simple weeknight dinner into something that feels like a genuine Sunday supper worth remembering. The slightly sweet cornbread and the deeply savory stew are a combination that tastes like pure American comfort.

Allergy Information

• Contains: Gluten (flour for thickening), Celery
• Gluten-free: Replace all-purpose flour with cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water) — works just as well
• Dairy-free: Naturally dairy-free as written — omit the optional finishing butter
• Low-sodium: Use low-sodium broth and omit the Worcestershire sauce or use a low-sodium alternative

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days — flavor improves significantly on day two.
• Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of broth, stirring occasionally until hot throughout.
• Microwave individual portions covered for 2 minutes, stir, then heat in additional 30-second intervals.
• Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken in this recipe?

For food safety reasons, the USDA recommends always starting with fully thawed chicken in a slow cooker. Thaw chicken overnight in the refrigerator before cooking for both safety and the best texture.

My stew broth is too thin. How do I thicken it?

Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth and stir the slurry into the hot stew. Cook on HIGH uncovered for 20 minutes — it thickens noticeably. You can also mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot for natural starch thickening.

Can I add other vegetables to this stew?

Absolutely — parsnips, turnips, green beans, corn, and mushrooms all work well. Add hearty root vegetables at the start and more delicate vegetables like green beans or peas in the last 30 minutes to prevent them from overcooking.

Can I make this on the stovetop instead?

Yes — simmer everything covered in a large Dutch oven over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until the chicken is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Check liquid levels periodically and add broth as needed.

Is chicken breast or chicken thigh better for stew?

Chicken thighs win every time for slow cooker stew — their fat and connective tissue keep them juicy and tender through the long cook. Chicken breasts can dry out if cooked too long on low heat, so check them at the lower end of the time range.

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