I am a huge fan of creamy soups and stews, and I have fallen hard for this creamy chicken stew recipe. Though it is definitely a stew, it is quite different from beef stew. It’s lighter in flavor and I find it to be an even more comforting, filling meal. Think of it a bit like chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice soup or chicken pot pie. The kind of simple, soothing, flavorful food I could eat for every meal.
This creamy stew doesn’t actually use cream at all. It’s butter and flour that thicken the stew, and a bit of whole milk added at the end that makes it creamy.
Chicken Stew Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: For a short cut, you can use the meat from a rotisserie chicken! Just skip the browning step and add the chicken with the milk to warm through.
- Oil and butter: Oil to brown the chicken, butter for lots of flavor.
- Mirepoix: Onion, carrots and celery. The start of every great soup and stew recipe!
- Green beans: Frozen green beans work fine.
- Potatoes: Waxy potatoes like Yukon golds are ideal here. They add to the creamy flavor and texture of this stew.
- Seasonings: Fresh garlic, thyme, sage, celery seed, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Flour: To make the soup thick and creamy. You can definitely use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead.
- Milk: Whole milk is best here! Anything less will make the stew watery.
- Stock: Chicken stock is best. I wouldn’t sub anything!
How To Make Creamy Chicken Stew Step By Step
Find the full, detailed recipe instructions at the bottom of this post.
- Brown the chicken. Set it aside.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in butter.
- Sprinkle the flour over the butter. Stir it constantly until a thick paste has formed.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock. Add the potatoes, green beans, seasonings and finally the browned chicken.
- Simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
- Pull the chicken out, shred it into bite-sized pieces, and add it back to the stew.
- Pour in the milk and simmer for another few minutes.
- Eat up!
Variations
- You could use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs but they won’t be quite as juicy and tender.
- Add more veggies! I think parsnips, peas, or even corn would be delicious additions to this stew.
- Fresh thyme and sage can be used in place of dried. If you use fresh herbs, use about 2/3 more as dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh.
- Play around with the seasonings. Hit up that spice shelf and use whatever sounds yummy to you. I think curry powder would be great in this!
How To Store + Freeze Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Even though it’s creamy, chicken stew freezes well for up to 3 months. Note that potatoes can become grainy after freezing and thawing, so the texture of the stew may change a little, but the flavor should holds up well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stove top.
Tips For Success
- Brown the chicken well! Those browned bits that are left in the pot after browning add a lot of flavor to the base of the stew.
- Take your time after you add the flour and be sure you cook it for a full 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and really helps thicken the stew.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots into similarly-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
- If you’re using frozen green beans, wait to add them until the end, right when you add the milk. They can get mushy if they simmer for too long.
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