This is the faster way I make Chicken Stew – using boneless chicken thigh fillets cut into large pieces, simmered with vegetables until tender in a rich, dark stew sauce. It’s a Chicken Casserole made in an hour, but tastes like it’s been simmering all day!
More chicken stew options: Slow Cooked Chicken Stew, Coq au Vin and Chicken Fricasée (creamy French Chicken Stew, reader favourite!).
Chicken Stew – faster!
I feel like the word “stew” conjures up visions of slow cooked goodness that’s been simmering on the stove all day. And our patience is always rewarded with the deep flavours you can only achieve through slow cooking. Beef Stew, Guinness Stew, slow cooked Chicken Stew and Pot Roasts.
This speedier Chicken Stew is for all the days when you want the slow cooked flavour – fast! It takes under an hour to make, and it’s loaded with plenty of veggies and potatoes swimming in a rich stew sauce!
This speedier Chicken Casserole tastes like it’s been simmering all day… look at that rich sauce!!
Flavour Tricks
Here are the things in this recipe that ups the flavour quota even without slow cooking for hours:
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boneless chicken thigh fillets which are juicy enough to withstand the simmering time needed for the sauce to develop beautiful flavours, but cook quicker than using bone-in chicken pieces;
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beef broth (stock) instead of chicken broth – beef broth has deeper flavours than chicken stock AND it gives the sauce a deeper brown colour without having to slow cook for ages;
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red wine – a good slug adds depth of flavour and again, adds to the rich brown colour of the sauce; and
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BACON. Need I explain this point? 😂
There’s a decent amount of veggies in this, so you can serve it as a meal without extra veg sides
How to make Chicken Stew
The total simmering time here is 40 minutes, compared to 1.5 hours for classic Chicken Stew made using bone-in chicken pieces.
Nothing tricky or unusual with this speedier Chicken Stew – we start off browning the bacon and chicken to get all those tasty brown bits on the bottom of the pan which will form part of the flavour base for the sauce.
Then cook off the veggies, add all the stew sauce ingredients, simmer for just 30 minutes until the chicken is tender, then lastly add the mushrooms and greens which don’t take long to cook.
And this is what comes off the stove:
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juicy pieces of chicken;
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soft vegetables that have sucked up the flavour of the sauce;
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little pops of bacon (the BEST bite!);
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loads of thick, rich, dark, savoury, herb infused stew sauce.
Seriously. Just tell everyone you’ve been slaving away all day. They’ll totally believe you! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Stew (Casserole)
Ingredients
- 0.5 tbsp olive oil
- 150g/5oz bacon , chopped
- 750g/ 1.5lb boneless skinless chicken thighs , cut into 3cm / 1.25" pieces (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each
- 3 garlic cloves , minced (1 tbsp)
- 1 onion , sliced
- 3 carrots , peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced 1cm / 1/3" thick
- 2 celery stalks , sliced 1cm / 1/3" thick
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) red wine (Note 2)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups (750ml) beef stock/broth , low sodium (or chicken, Note 3)
- 400g/ 14oz crushed tomato , canned
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 350g/ 12 oz baby potatoes , halved
- 200g/ 6oz mushrooms , halved (large quartered)
- 150g/ 5 oz green beans , trimmed and halved
Instructions
- Place oil and bacon in a large heavy based casserole pot over high heat.
- When the oil is heated and bacon releases some fat, add chicken.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, until chicken and bacon is browned.
- Add garlic and onion, cook 1 minute.
- Add celery and carrot, cook 2 minutes.
- Add red wine, allow to simmer rapidly 2 minutes until the winey alcohol smell is gone.
- Add flour, mix until incorporated.
- Slowly pour in half the beef broth while stirring, then pour the rest in.
- Add tomato, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper.
- Stir, add potato.
- Cover, simmer 30 minutes.
- Remove lid, add mushrooms and green beans. Simmer without lid* for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve with crusty bread, sprinkled with parsley if desired!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I’m so grateful that food doesn’t move…..😂😂😂
As always your recipes are easy to follow and much loved by all the family.
why beef broth with chicken?
We’ve had snow, hail, sleet and a freezing cold wind today in Scotland, so this rich, tasty and warming stew was a perfect for our supper…the sauces/gravies you make for your dishes are 2nd to none..
I am happy that you liked it Dawn!! N x
Made this today for the first time.It has been voted very tasty, so is definitely going to become a regular feature.
Hi Nagi! Re: Chicken Stew Casserole – I love all your recipes and very rarely change anything even after reading some of the comments from readers but I did notice in the comments that this stew can be frozen and you mentioned to re-crisp up the chicken if frozen, did I miss this in the recipe, I don’t see where the chicken is crisped.
Hi Mary Anne – you are correct – the comment about crisping the skin was for the longer cooking chicken stew version, not this quick one! Sorry! This one does freeze well though! N x
Nagi your recipes never fail do deliver. Thank you for being my go to.
I made this for my husband when he went to visit his father. Normally, I don’t keep any of the meals I send over because his dad is more of a meat and potatoes guy and I prefer other food. But, I just had to keep some of this. Very good. I think I cut the chicken pieces too small though because they disappeared into the stew.
This stew was the bomb! I added a tablespoon of Kitchen Bouquet to add some more richness. Otherwise I followed the recipe!
can i cook, this in the oven??
If you want to cook a chicken stew in the oven then I recommend this one Elaine! N x https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-stew/
Thanx! the recipe is excellent
Love this recipe so much and so do my family.
A real tasty winter warmer.
made it today ! ❤️
it’s simmering on the stove now,, made it according to instruction, had my own home made beef broth too,,, bound to be better,,, can’t wait for dinner, to be served with garlic butter buns, warmed,,,
Omg ! This was incredible. Thank you for an all day stew in under 2 hours. I didn’t have potatoes so I added yams and peas as my hubbs love them in his stew. Excellent and will make again.
Yum! N x
I made this chicken stew and it was good.
I wish I knew how to send you a picture but take my word for it was good.😋
Hi Grayd The is a recipe tin appreciation Face book page if you join the groupmyou can post as many photo’s as you like..😂😂😂😂
Nagi is a member of the group..😉😋😉😋😉
Life saving recipe empty plates nowt for the Dog cheers Nagi.
Easy to make and delicious. Thx Nagi. x
I love this dish so much!!
What a great recipe. Delicious! 👌💖
Very g ood . I have a clever chef cooler so am trying with a little hlp .Aged 90 Years and enjoying cooking
This was very tasty! I added pumpkin and zucchini as I had no beans. Worked well. Will definitely make again!
Wowzer – another awesome recipe and one added to my freezer collection for great weekday meals! Easy w/e cook max flavour 🥰🕺
I cooked this but I found there was too much stock. I only ended up using half the amount. I had to thicken the sauce with cornflour as it didn’t thicken. Still tasted great.