Chicken Stew With Vegetables

Hello, Comfort!

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

There are some nights when only a giant bowl of something cozy and comforting will do. It could be a chilly winter night or just the end of a stressful week, but you need a dish that'll fill stomachs with relatively little effort. Enter: this chicken stew packed with vibrant, nutritious vegetables.

A variety of fresh veggies and canned tomatoes add color and texture to the stew, while herbs such as dried dill, thyme, and bay leaves lend an enticing aroma. Since the stew uses a cut-up chicken or chicken thighs, it's an excellent choice for budget-conscious home cooks.

While there's a bit of prep work involved to chop the vegetables, the cooking itself is relatively hands off. Pop the stew into the oven or use a slow cooker—either way, the result will be delicious.

Veggies for Chicken Stew: The Options Are Endless

This recipe calls for a handful of easy-to-find vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and potatoes, but it's easy to customize to your family's preferences or what's available at the market.

  • Yellow summer squash is a great substitute for zucchini in the summer months, when corn or green beans would be delicious, too.
  • When cooler weather rolls around, swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
  • Just avoid leafy greens as they don't hold up well to the long cooking time.

How to Thicken Stew

When it comes to texture, this chicken stew is definitely on the lighter side. If you're looking for a thicker, heartier stew, you can either reduce the liquid by cooking it uncovered on the stovetop or add a cornstarch slurry.

What to Serve With Chicken Stew?

A big bowl of this chicken stew is filling and satisfying all by itself, but you can also serve it with dinner rolls or biscuits on the side.

Chicken stew with vegetables

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

"The stew smells amazing even as you cook it. By the time the recipe was done, we were ready to eat and it did not disappoint. The stew is more soup-like in terms of texture, but I enjoyed the lighter feel given it was packed with tender chunks of chicken and vegetables. I made both the oven and slow cooker version and they were both tasty and aromatic, so use whatever method is most convenient."—Patty Lee

Chicken Stew with Vegetables Tester Photo
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces

  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

  • 2 carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

  • 1 small zucchini, seeded and cubed

  • 1 green or red bell pepper, sliced

  • 2 medium onions, sliced

  • 2 ribs celery, cut diagonally into 1-inch slices

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes with juice

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 teaspoon dried dill

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Steps to Make It

Stovetop Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for chicken stew with vegetables

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pat chicken with paper towels to dry.

    Pat chicken dry

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place chicken, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, onions, and celery in a 4-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Place chicken and vegetables in pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add tomatoes and tomato liquid.

    Add tomatoes and tomato liquid to pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add garlic to chicken stock and pour over ingredients in casserole.

    Add garlic and chicken broth to pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add bay leaves and sprinkle with dill and thyme.

    Add herbs and spices to pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour. Remove from oven, discard bay leaf, and serve. Enjoy!

    Chicken stew with vegetables recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Slow Cooker Method

  1. Layer vegetables and chicken in slow cooker with tomatoes, chicken broth, and herbs.

    Chicken stew with vegetable ingredients in crock pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck 

  2. Cover and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours.

    Chicken stew with vegetables cooked in crock pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How to Store and Freeze

  • Leftover chicken stew can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three to four days.
  • You can also freeze chicken stew in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
599 Calories
31g Fat
29g Carbs
56g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 599
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 39%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 281mg 94%
Sodium 823mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 56g
Vitamin C 38mg 189%
Calcium 96mg 7%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 1410mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)