Ultra tender flesh and super crispy skin smothered in a thick savoury sauce with vegetables. This Chicken Stew is slow cooked in the oven to develop deep, incredible flavours. The smell that fills the house when it’s in the oven is simply wonderful!
More chicken stew recipe options: Faster Chicken Quick Stew (using bite size chicken pieces), Coq au Vin and Chicken Fricasée (creamy French Chicken Stew, reader favourite!).
Chicken Stew – with crispy skin!
Anyone else here not a fan of slimy chicken skin??
I don’t care how long it’s been slow cooked. And whether it’s a stew, in soup or Hainanese chicken.
No chicken skin comes near my mouth unless it’s crispy or caramelised.
When my mother reads this, I know she’s going to roll her eyes and think”she’s so childish!!”
I don’t care. I love crispy skin. I want crispy skin. Give me all the crispy skin!!! 😂
Slow cooked in the oven for crispy skin!
Because I’m so anti-slimy chicken skin, I like to make my Chicken Stew in the oven rather than on the stove. And unless someone knows a magic trick, the only way to get crispy skin for a stew is in the oven.
Cook it covered for part of the time, then uncover it to let the sauce thicken, make the chicken flesh super tender, the surface of the veggies and edges of the stew caramelise, and – most importantly in my world – to get that chicken skin super crispy!
Don’t have the time to slow cook?
Try my speedier Chicken Stew – made with boneless chicken thighs, this is on the table in an hour but tastes like it’s been cooking all day!
OK, I think I’ve babbled on enough about the chicken skin. Let me move on.
Under the crispy skin -> tender flesh.
Smothering the crispy skin -> thick savoury gravy sauce.
Around the crispy skin -> tender soft vegetables.
😇😇😇
I’m lucky enough to have a big, shallow casserole pot / dutch oven which is absolutely perfect for these kind of stews that go from stove to oven. But if you don’t have one, don’t worry, just tip it all into a baking pan before popping it into the oven.
And – confession time. The reason I cropped out most of the bowl in the photo below is because I ate the chicken before I took this photo. The side you can’t see just has bones, picked completely clean.
I couldn’t resist! Don’t judge me! 😂 – Nagi x
More Stews
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Faster Chicken Stew – when you need a rich stew on the table in under an hour!
-
Classic Beef Stew – fall apart beef in a deep rich sauce
-
Irish Beef and Guinness Stew – an incredible dark, rich sauce with incomparable flavour
-
Slow Cooked Beef Stroganoff – fall apart beef in a creamy Stroganoff sauce!
-
Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce – truly exceptional, restaurant quality!
-
Browse all Stew recipes
Classic dinners we’ll love forever
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Meatloaf – a family favourite forever and ever!
Chicken Stew
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 kg / 3lb bone in, skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks (6 to 8 pieces)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 onions , halved and cut into wedges
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 3 large carrots , cut thick end into 1.5cm / 3/5" pieces, thin end 2.5cm/1"
- 4 celery stalks , cut into 2cm / 4/5" chunks
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine (or water)
- 3 tbsp (35g) flour
- 3 cups (750 ml) chicken broth , low low sodium
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Worscestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs thyme , or 1 tsp dried thyme (or other herb)
- 2 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
- 600 g / 1.2lb baby potatoes , halved (quarter large ones)
Serving (optional):
- Fresh thyme or parsley (chopped)
- Warm crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until light golden, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Remove from pot. (Do in 2 batches if pot not big enough).
- If there's too much oil in the pot, discard some. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add carrots and celery, cook for 1 minute.
- Add wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits into the liquid. Cook for 1 minute until liquid is mostly gone.
- Sprinkle flour across surface, stir.
- Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve tomato paste.
- Place chicken on top, keeping the skin above the liquid level as much as you can.
- Bring to simmer then cover. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven, remove lid. Add potatoes, pushing them into the liquid and rearranging chicken so they sit on top (for lovely crispy skin).
- Return to oven without the lid for a further 40 minutes until the chicken skin is deep golden and super crispy, the potatoes are soft and the sauce is thickened.
- Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with warm crusty bread on the side to dunk in the sauce - or go all the way with Garlic Bread! Optional: garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves or parsley.
Recipe Notes:
Originally published May 2018. Updated for housekeeping matters – no change to recipe.
Life of Dozer
Flashback to May 2018 when this recipe was first published when he tore his ACL and had to have a knee operation. Shaved rump, permanent “help me up” harness, and trapped in a play pen for weeks.
Adding a Cone of Shame was just rubbing salt into the wound, isn’t it?
I told him not to scratch the stitches. I warned him about the cone. He did not obey!!😂
Happy to report he is back to normal, chasing birds, leaping off jetties and generally living the high life!❤️ N x
Aww Dozer you are loved so much , my past baby had a huge hip operation years ago and he was a very big dog but considering his size he recovered well so Dozer the time will go fast and you have the best Mummy.
Oh yes the stew looks fantastic and such wonderful comfort food for this time of the year with the weather getting cooler 😜 Yum
Love ya Dozer 😘🐶
Ohhhhh nooo, I’m sorry to hear that. Did he recover ok?? Is he well now???
It’s ok Nagi as I was talking about my beautiful boy that I had years ago and yes he did recover well but went to doggie heaven about 5 years ago but he was 13 years old and nearly as tall as a Great Dane but he had a wonderful life like Dozer does 😘
Hi, Nagi & Dozer,
Like so many others, I went to the “Dozer section” before checking out the recipe (which looks amazing in the photos, BTW). He looks so forlorn. Poor baby. :’-(
Fortunately for both of you, this accident happened in your Autumn, before you transition into Winter. At the end of the year while you are experiencing a hot summer, Dozer will be healed and ready to cool off at the beach. I know this is a huge disappointment for the sweet boy, but he has the best mummy, doesn’t he. 🙂 Sending lots of love and virtual hugs to Dozer. <3 As for that gorgeous chicken stew, we will make it this weekend. We still have some brisk, rainy and windy weather in the Pacific NW. I make chicken stew in the Instant Pot fairly often, but never tried the oven method. Crispy skin in a chicken stew? Oh, yeah! The hubby will be over the moon! Thanks for another STEWpendous recipe. 😀 (Giving you 5 stars because…well, look at the photos!)
The fact that he did this going into winter is the single considerate thing he has ever done in his entire life!!! 😂
Hi Nagi, loving your recipes just signed up my daughter who is starting to really enjoy cooking. Poor Dozer my loved fur baby Molly (Beagle) had both knees done, and the long crate rest, twice. Shortly after she had recovered from those surgeries, she had a disc prolapse, more surgery $$$$ LOL. Funny thing is, she LOVES her crate and whenever she gets afraid (thunder etc) That is where I will find her. Much love to Dozer x.
Oh nooooo Molly! 🙁 I’m so sad to hear that. And I’m so glad you mentioned how she loves her crate, I was getting worried about how Dozer now WANTS to go into the cage by choice. I thought that was weird!!
I cant wait to try this recipe tonight! Should i cover the ovenproof pot with an aluminium foil for step 9 since the lid is not ovenproof (im using happycall ceramic pots)
Oh look at that face! I immediately went to the Dozer button to get his news. I haven’t even looked at the recipe yet! Sending well wishes.
And I LOVE THAT!!! 😂
Nagi, you are not alone in the chicken skin department. I think non-crisp skin is awful, don’t eat it. Hope poor old Dozer recovers easily from his surgery.
Glad to hear from another fellow crispy skin lover!!! 😂
Any chance that I can make this recipe with chicken breasts? Looks so delicious but my family doesn’t enjoy dark meat!
Hi Sheila! I haven’t tried this with breast and to be honest, I don’t recommend slow cooking breast like this 🙂 What I would do is cut breast into large bite size pieces, brown per recipe but don’t cook all the way through, then set aside and make the sauce, adding the potatoes right at the start. Simmer rapidly on stove for 20 minutes then add the chicken in just for 5 minutes to cook through 🙂
I just checked out those soft cones and I think The Doze would look (and hopefully) feel a treat. The lion one would be most appropriate I feel, then the black and white one with what looks like a bowtie at the neck! Dozer deserves a whole collar wardrobe…might help ease the boredom of recovery. Could be fun for you too as you and he debate the “look” of the day.
Glad that you are still finding time from your nursing duties to post luscious recipes. Oven finish is just the ticket for crisping things up.
I got him one!!! Wait until you see today’s pic!!
I usually use my slow cooker for stews and soups, but because of the slimy skin issue, never use skin-on chicken in the crockpot. This looks like the best of both worlds– the crispy skin I love with oven-baked chicken and the moist juiciness of the meat that I get from the slow cooker. Thanks for the great idea, Nagi.
As for Dozer, my heart goes out to both of you. A FOUR-MONTH recovery? One day at a time!
Just an FYI for anyone who might be interested: When my dog needed to be “coned” for a few days, I bought a soft cone collar for her. So much better than the plastic ones, in my experience– comfy for them and cleans up great (even goes in the washer) for us! I also loved that she could see around her so much better than the plastic versions allow. And for those with short dogs (mine’s a corgi), you don’t have to see or listen to them walking around scraping that blasted plastic on the floor! Screech, screech… drove me nuts!
Here’s a link to some on Amazon, but Petsmart and such offer them as well: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dog+cone+collar+soft
I went straight to the pet shop the next day and bought one! But wait until you see the photo…. the pattern on it is RIDICULOUS!!! 😂
I just saw it on your next post. Boy, you’re not kidding! That is SOME pattern! Love it!
Hi Nagi, This Chicken Stew looks scrumptious. You are my Go To gal for dinner recipes. If I follow your directions they are always a winner. I can mess them up at all. 😉
Hugs to Dozer. Our dog , Buster was cone head when he had his cruciate ligament got torn 😢. All the best to Dozer. He has a good mama to take care of him.
Awww Buster! Did he bounce back ok??? N xx
Yes he did. Good as new!
Oops I meant I Can’t mess them up!
😂
That poor sad Dozer face.
He’s actually doing totally fine 🙂 Still hobbling around but he’s happy as can be! 🙂 N xx
Yay for brown foods! I love crispy chicken skin too and that oven tip is everything.
Poor Dozer, hope he recovers quickly.
Glad you’re in the crispy skin camp with me!!
I am totally making this dish once it gets a bit colder outside. This looks so comforting!
It’s like a big warm hug in a bowl!!
Hi Dozer,
We all love you Dozer. Hang in there. Check out this site – http://www.wideopenpets.com/10-funny-photos-dogs-wearing-cone-shame/
Hopefully you will have a good laugh – and get some ideas for Mommy to try! Hugs and kisses to you. Feel better soon.
Hi Nagi,
Of course, I had to skip down to the Dozer segment first. Poor Baby!!! How are you holding up? It looks like you are taking great care of Dozer. Are you sleeping next to his kennel yet? In his kennel? You have him in the bed and you are sleeping in the kennel?? Hee hee.
The chicken stew looks amazing. I had thought about doing the oven method, but was afraid of things drying out too much. I’m going to try it. Keep smiling – you are 4 days closer to the finish line.
BA HA HA! Those pics are HILARIOUS!!! I have to do some of them!!!
Just don’t embarrass your baby too much. i”m looking forward to pics!
Crispy crispy crispy !!!! 😛 I totally agree Nagi!
No slimy, squidgy skin for me either !!! 😖
Ugh!
Looks awesome and your photography is mouth drooling !!!
Can’t wait to try it !!!
Hugs and kisses to Mr. Dozer
So glad you’re in the crispy skin camp with me!!
😂😂 …. Hey Nagi, I so understand that cone of shame…saw it on our dog who had surgery 2 years ago (cancer). But she didn’t like that cone especially when she had to go outside to do her stuff . The neighbors dog always barked at her 😂. Poor Dozer.
Oh no! Is she ok??
He looks so sad! 🙁 Give him a big love for me, please! I don’t like wimpy chicken skin either! This is a great way to crisp it up! Thanks, Nagi!
Big hug passed on and happily received! he’s been getting a LOT of attention lately…..
Looks amazingly good! Have you ever tried making it with boneless breast and thighs? What do you mean by “baking pan” if we don’t have a large enough pot?
Thanks!
Hi Colleen! Any roasting pan or dish or similar that can go into the oven 🙂 This will work well with boneless thigh because it’s lovely and juicy, but the recipe will require adjustments. Reduce the liquid by 1 cup and flour by 1 tbsp, and put the potatoes in at the beginning with the carrots etc and only bake for 45 minutes 🙂
We are just getting into summer here in New York, so I am going to put a reminder on my calendar to make this in the fall. It looks so delicious! I hope Dozer feels better soon 🙂
Finally warming up over there??!! It was a long winter!!
This looks delicious Nagi. It is the perfect filling meal for a cool evening. But poor Dozer!! I feel so sad for him. I’m glad to hear that he is doing fine in spite of the humiliation of wearing a cone.
Wait until you see what the cones been replaced with…😂
At this time of year this is the ultimate sort of deliciousness. Can’t wait to try it as knowing your recipes, this will hit the spot and be perfection. Poor Dozer the cone really is adding insult to injury bless him. I so hope he has a speedy recovery. Please give him a pat for me.
Pat passed on an happily received! (I even had to reach into that icky cone – ew!)