Chicken Stew

Our fantastic Chicken Stew has tender chunks of chicken and vegetables in a creamy flavorful homemade broth. Serve with freshly baked biscuits on the side for the ultimate comfort food meal.

The Best Chicken Stew

I can’t think of a better way to warm up on a cold day than this delicious Chicken Stew! Every spoonful is loaded with super tender chunks of chicken and vegetables.

But the star of this dish is the homemade broth – made by simply simmering a whole chicken with a variety of aromatic vegetables, herbs, and seasonings until the broth is reduced and intensely flavorful. Heavy cream and roux are added to thicken it too.

We served our Chicken Stew with homemade buttermilk biscuits on the side. They are a perfect complement to the rich and creamy stew.

• This is delicious, hearty comfort food in a bowl and a very filling meal on a chilly day.
• Every bite has tender chunks of chicken and vegetables all together in a creamy flavorful broth.
• You can make this stew ahead of time – then reheat before serving.

• Fresh Chicken – Look for the largest whole chicken you can find at the market – ours was 6½ pounds. It’s totally fine to use a chicken labeled as a roaster for this recipe.
• Stock Ingredients – Carrots, onion, celery, fresh garlic, Italian flat-leaf parsley, kosher salt, peppercorns, bay leaf, and water. Don’t be tempted to swap in a store-bought chicken stock – it just won’t be the same!
• Carrots
• Yellow onion –
• Potato – Russet potatoes are the best type of potato to use in a stew like this. Yellow or gold potatoes can also work if that’s what you have on hand, but avoid waxy potatoes such as New Red.
• Green Peas – Frozen is totally fine to use.
• Roux – This is melted butter and flour, cooked together until the raw flour taste is gone. It’s used to thicken the stew.
• Heavy Cream
• Gravy Color and Seasoning Liquid – Such as Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master.
• Salt and Pepper – If needed.
• Freshly Baked Biscuits – Follow our Sweet Buttermilk Biscuit recipe here or, for convenience, buy refrigerated biscuit dough and bake according to package instructions.

1. Place whole chicken and stock ingredients in a stock pot along with six quarts of water. Simmer for 90 minutes.
2. Bake the biscuits while the stock simmers. Set aside.
3. Remove chicken from the pot after the initial 90 minutes and (once cool enough to handle) pick off meat. Add bones and skin back into the simmering pot and cook 90 minutes longer.
4. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate while the stock continues to cook.
5. Strain stock and discard solids.
6. Separate fat that floats on top from stock. Note that you should save three tablespoons of the fat for later in the recipe, but you can discard the rest.
7. Place strained stock in the soup pot along with carrots and onions and cook for five minutes. Add potato and cook ten more minutes.
8. Make roux by cooking the saved chicken fat, butter, and flour in a medium saucepan.
9. Whisk half of the stock from the soup pot into the hot roux, one third at a time, whisking each time until creamy.
10. Add this thickened stock back into the soup pot and stir.
11. Add green peas along with cooked chicken, heavy cream, and gravy color. Stir.
12. Taste and season as needed with more salt and/or pepper.
13. Serve in bowls with biscuits on the side.

• Can I make Chicken Stew ahead of time?  Yes, actually, this is great made ahead and reheated before serving. (We think it tastes even better on the second day.)
• How do I store leftovers?   Store refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to two days.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave individual portions.
• Can I freeze?  You can, however the potatoes will be mushy after being frozen and thawed.

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