Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Delicious, light, and filling this one-pot Slow Cooker Chicken Stew simmers in an easy sauce with peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and olives. Full of dynamic flavours, it makes a warming and satisfying meal for the chilly nights.

A little Mediterranean, with a lot of Latin influence, this chicken stew with tomatoes and peppers is perhaps the best thing to ever come out of my slow cooker. A warming and cozy dish to cook during the cooler months, this hearty stew is utterly delicious and completely satisfying all on its own, without being overly heavy.

While this stew may not be the most glamorous, I love that I can load up my slow cooker in the morning and find a warm, hearty meal ready for me at the end of the day. This recipe is even better after a day in the refrigerator, so make a big batch to eat for days.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe

This slow cooker chicken stew is an adaptation of my beloved Dominican pollo guisado – my favourite childhood dish which is essentially stewed chicken. A brothier version, this one includes chunks of potatoes which perhaps makes it lean more towards the French bistro dish known as Poulet Basquaise (Basque Chicken). Much like pollo guisado, a Basque-style chicken stew also relies on tomatoes, onions, and peppers as its base.

Whether you make it on the stovetop or a slow cooker, the unique flavours of this stew are incredibly complex and succulent. The chicken meat becomes fork-tender and as the vegetables cook they melt into the sauce giving the finished dish a deep and delicious sweet-savouriness. To contrast the sweetness of the peppers and tomatoes, adding a bright briny element is a must. A few handfuls of Spanish manzanilla olives are always a favourite. If you dislike olives, just add a little vinegar instead.

Affordable, healthy, and versatile, this slow cooker chicken stew is perfect for a weeknight meal or a family Sunday supper. Full of flavour and so easy to make, you’re going to absolutely love it.

Ingredients & Notes

• Chicken – You’ll need about 2 pounds of chicken for this recipe. To ensure the chicken stays juicy, I like using boneless, skinless chicken thighs which always turn out fall-apart tender despite the long braise time. You can use chicken breast if you prefer but the meat will be a little drier.
• Extra virgin olive oil – For added flavour and to brown the chicken (which is optional).
• Green and red bell pepper – Unquestionably, the sauce’s rich complexity in this stew comes from the peppers. If you dislike green peppers you can use all red. However, the slight bitterness of green peppers helps tone down the overall sweetness of the stew.
• Onion and garlic – The essential aromatics for the vibrant tomato-pepper sauce in this slow cooker chicken stew.
• Canned tomatoes – To make things easy, we are using a can of good-quality tomatoes. For the slow cooker, I like to drain out the juices so there isn’t too much liquid. If making on the stovetop, use the whole can. If using fresh tomatoes, you will need about 3 cups of roughly chopped tomatoes.
• Potatoes – To make this a one-pot dish, the addition of potatoes makes the stew extra hearty. You can use yellow flesh, white, or red potatoes.
• Low-sodium chicken broth -For this recipe we use 1 cup of chicken broth. If not using homemade, low-sodium is always best.
• Herbs & Spices. I like to use paprika, dried oregano and fresh thyme to flavour the stew. Chopped parsley to garnish when serving is optional but adds some nice brightness and colour.
• Bay leaf – Optional, but I always add one to my stews.
• Manzanilla olives (small pimiento-stuffed olives) – I love olives of any kind and this stew really benefits from a little brininess. For this Spanish-style stew, my favourite are the salty and super briny Spanish manzanilla olives. If you dislike olives, or prefer not to use them, just add a splash of white vinegar.

Tip: Completely optional, but if you do brown the chicken, a generous splash of wine to deglaze the pan is a really good idea. Alternatively use a bit of water or broth.

How To Make

While I really like the hands-off ease of making this stew in the slow cooker, it can easily be made on the stovetop. Below, I include stovetop instructions. With a fast prep time, both methods work great for a quick weeknight meal.

For extra flavour, I like to quickly brown the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker. That said, if you wish to skip this step, the stew will still be delicious.

1. Dust the chicken with a little bit of paprika and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Once hot, brown the chicken thighs, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate. If you wish, deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of wine, or chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
2. Transfer the chicken and any skillet juices to the insert of a slow cooker. (If skipping the browning, simply place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker). Add the chopped vegetables, bay leaf, spices, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs and give everything a good toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, and broth and mix well.
3. Cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The stew holds well in warm setting for a few hours.
4. When ready to serve, stir in the olives or vinegar. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.

Stovetop Chicken Stew

If you prefer to make the chicken stew on the stovetop, here are the easy steps:

1. Dust the chicken with a little bit of paprika and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot, over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces (in batches, if necessary) and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes a side.
2. Add the onion and peppers and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tomatoes (with juices) and break them up a bit with a wooden spoon. Stir in the potatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce heat. Simmer, partially-covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in olives and/or vinegar, and if desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Tip: The stew will not cook for very long on the stovetop so make sure to cut the potato pieces a lot smaller (about1-inch pieces). This way, they will have enough time to cook.

To Serve 

Light, yet filling, all you need to serve with this fabulous slow cooker chicken stew is a little crusty bread for dunking. If you omit the potatoes, it would be absolutely delicious served over pasta (think couscous), any grain of your choice, or a creamy polenta.

A light leafy green salad would also be great alongside the stew.

You May Also Like

• Albondigas Guisadas (Stewed Meatballs)
• Beef Stew 
• The Most Exquisite Bolognese Sauce 
• Mushroom Bourguinon

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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Author: Sandra Valvassori

Delicious, light, and filling this one-pot Slow Cooker Chicken Stew simmers in an easy sauce with peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes and olives. Full of dynamic flavours, it makes a warming and satisfying meal for the chilly nights. 

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings 0

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds skinless-boneless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup white wine (optional for deglazing the pan)
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper chopped
• 1 large green pepper chopped (or use both red)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves plus a few sprigs
• 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1 pound potatoes (such as Yellow gold, red, or white) cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges (or cut smaller for stovetop method)
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup small pimiento-stuffed olives (or 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar)
• chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions 

• Optional step for browning chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the paprika on both sides. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, brown the chicken thighs, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate. If you wish, deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of wine, or chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer the chicken and any skillet juices to the insert of a slow cooker. (If skipping the browning, simply place the seasoned chicken pieces in the slow cooker and proceed with recipe).
• Add the onion, red pepper, green pepper, garlic, bay leaf, dried oregano, thyme leaves and sprigs, and give everything a good toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, and break them up a bit with a wooden spoon.
• Stir in the potatoes and broth, tossing again to combine. Cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, stir in the olives (or vinegar) and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.

Notes

 

Stovetop chicken stew option

1. Dust the chicken with a little bit of paprika and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot, over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces (in batches, if necessary) and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes a side.
2. Add the onion and peppers and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add tomatoes (with juices) and break them up a bit with a wooden spoon. Stir in the potatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce heat. Simmer, partially-covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in olives and/or vinegar, and if desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Tip: The stew will not cook for very long on the stovetop so make sure to cut the potato pieces a lot smaller (about1-inch pieces). This way, they will have enough time to cook.

Leftovers and Storage:

To Store: Leftovers keep well, in a tight-lid container, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop until warmed through.

To Freeze: The stew can be frozen, in freezer-safe containers, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently reheat over medium heat until warmed through. 

 

Keywords: Slow cooker chicken stew, chicken stew, Spanish chicken stew

Cuisine Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Spanish

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