This easy chicken stew is a hearty, one-pot meal that’s perfect for cold nights and hungry bellies. Using boneless, skinless chicken breast and packaged chicken broth cuts down on cooking time, delivering a delicious and satisfying dinner in about an hour.
What's great about this recipe
- Quick and easy: Cooks quicker than traditional stews, because it’s made with boneless chicken breast and packaged broth, delivering a hearty meal in about an hour.
- Simple, wholesome ingredients: With easy-to-find ingredients like chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, this recipe is both nourishing and affordable.
- One-pot meal: Everything cooks in one pot, making cleanup a breeze.
- Great for meal prep: Leftovers reheat beautifully, making this stew a great option for lunch or a no-fuss dinner later in the week.
- Comfort food favorite: This hearty, satisfying stew is a perfect choice for family dinners or when you need a warm, comforting meal.
Ingredients
- Oil – We use olive oil, use your favorite oil as long as it is suitable for sautéing.
- Chicken – This stew is made with boneless, skinless chicken breast. It is a wonderful way to get a whole meal with a pound of meat.
- Produce – Onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes make this stew a wholesome, hearty meal.
- Pantry – From the pantry we need chicken broth and flour to thicken the stew. All-purpose flour works well.
- Dairy – Butter is combined with the flour to make a roux, which is used to thicken soups and sauces.
- Spices – Salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning add extra flavor without a lot of fuss.
- Garnish and serving – Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with limes, saltines, club crackers, oyster crackers, bread, or rice if desired.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken stew
Season the chicken breast on both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. Seasoning the chicken ahead of time gives the salt time to work its way through the meat enhancing the flavor.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery for 2 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Next, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stir often.
- Add the butter and stir until it melts.
- Then, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Now, add the chicken broth. Stir briskly and gently scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- When the flour mixture is dissolved add the chicken to the pot.
- Raise the heat to bring the broth to a boil, then reduce it to medium to medium-low. Cover and cook the chicken for 20 minutes or until it’s fully cooked (165°F at its thickest part). Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a cutting board to cool. Add the potatoes to the pot. Raise the heat to bring the broth to a boil. Then, lower the heat, cover and keep the broth at a simmer.
- In the meantime, shred (or dice) the chicken.
- Add it back to the pot as soon as you are finished.
- Cover the pot and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve the stew into individual bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve along with lime wedges and saltine crackers like we do here, but there’s no need because it's great on its own.
Substitutions and variations
- Swap the chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if preferred. Dark meat works beautifully in this recipe, much like it does in this chicken lentil soup.
- Use leftovers: Make the soup with leftover cooked chicken if you need to use some up. For extra flavor, add a teaspoon or two of chicken base (like Better Than Bouillon) to the broth. Stir in the cooked chicken at the end along with the potatoes.
- Reduce sodium: If you’re sensitive to salt, opt for reduced-sodium chicken broth. You can also cut back on the salt used to season the chicken and adjust the seasoning at the end, if needed.
Serving and reheating instructions
- Storing refrigerator: Cool the chicken stew quickly and transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Storing freezer: To freeze, cool the stew completely before transferring it to an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags. Leave an inch or two of space to allow for expansion. Label and date the packaging for easy identification, and freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- Reheating instructions
- Thaw in the refrigerator overnight if frozen.
- Saucepan: Pour the stew into a saucepan and reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. It may be necessary to add 1–2 tablespoons of water or broth to loosen the consistency.
- Microwave: Transfer the stew to a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or damp paper towel to prevent splattering. Heat on medium power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between intervals, until heated through.
- Food safety: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends reheating leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F. For more information on proper food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Frequently asked questions
How do you thicken chicken stew?
We thicken it with a roux (a mixture of flour and butter). You can also combine cornstarch with a little water or broth (about 1 tablespoon for 4 cups of liquid). Additionally, the starchiness from the potatoes naturally adds body to the stew.
What sides go well with chicken stew?
Chicken stew pairs beautifully with saltine, club, or oyster crackers, crusty bread, or bread rolls. To stretch a serving, you can also serve it with rice.
What vegetables can you add to chicken stew?
In addition to potatoes, carrots, and celery, you can add vegetables like peas, green beans, corn, or mushrooms. For leafy greens, try spinach or kale, adding them during the last few minutes of cooking to keep them vibrant.
We love soup and stew recipes—they’re typically one-pot meals, flexible, and affordable. Plus, they often make enough for leftovers, perfect for lunch or a lazy dinner. If you like this chicken stew, try our chicken cabbage soup or creamy chicken and wild rice soup for more hearty and satisfying options. For its beef counterpart, don’t miss our beef potato and carrot stew—it’s just as comforting and delicious!
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Stew
This easy chicken stew is a hearty, one-pot meal that’s perfect for cold nights and hungry bellies. Using boneless, skinless chicken breast and packaged chicken broth cuts down on cooking time, delivering a delicious and satisfying dinner in about an hour.
Ingredients
- 14-16 ounces Chicken Breast boneless and skinless
- 1½ teaspoon Salt divided (1 teaspoon for the chicken, ½ teaspoon for the stew, plus extra at the end if needed)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion small dice
- 2 Carrots cut into rounds or half rounds depending on their size
- 2 Celery Ribs sliced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 3 tablespoons Flour all purpose
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 12 ounces Red Potatoes cut into bite size pieces
- Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
- Lime Wedges for garnish optional
- Crackers, Bread, or Cooked Rice for serving optional
Instructions
- Season the chicken breast on both sides with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the butter when it melts add the flour. Cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Now, add the chicken broth while stirring briskly and gently scraping any bits off the bottom of the pot.
- When the flour mixture is dissolved add the chicken to the pot. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a boil.
- Then, lower the heat to medium to medium-low, cover the pot and cook the chicken for about 20 minutes until cooked through (see notes). Keep the broth at a simmer, lower or raise the heat as needed.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a cutting board to cool a bit.
- Add the diced potatoes to the stew and raise the heat to bring the broth to a boil. When it is boiling, lower the heat to medium to medium-low, cover and keep the broth at a simmer.
- In the meantime, shred (or dice) the chicken. Add it back to the pot as soon as you are finished. Cover the pot and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Taste the chicken stew and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lime wedges, crackers, rice, bread, or on its own.
Notes
The chicken is cooked through when it is opaque, the juices run clear, and the internal temperature is at least 165°F at its thickest part.
Nutrition
Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 26gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1944mgPotassium: 964mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5325IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Eileen
Love this! I’ve made it several times and always good😋