Why You’ll Love This this Yummy Winter Crockpot Chicken Stew
This comforting stew practically cooks itself while you’re busy binge-watching your favorite shows, because who’s time to babysit dinner when there are couch cushions calling your name.
You’ll get tender, fall-apart chicken and perfectly cooked vegetables swimming in a rich, creamy broth that tastes like you spent hours slaving over the stove, even though we both know you literally just dumped everything in and walked away.
Plus, it only dirties one pot, which means less cleanup and more time for the important things in life, like scrolling through social media or pretending you’re going to organize that junk drawer.
Ingredients List
This simple stew uses basic pantry staples and fresh ingredients that you probably already have hanging out in your kitchen right now.
- 1 1/2 cups russet potatoes, peeled cut into bite-size pieces, and washed
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces, and washed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon sage (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme (to taste)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
A few things to keep in mind about these ingredients:
- The cream of chicken soup adds convenience but also sodium, so you might want to go easy on the extra salt
- Russet potatoes break down nicely for a heartier texture, but you could swap in red potatoes if you want them to hold their shape better
- Fresh herbs would be amazing if you have them, but dried works perfectly fine and won’t judge you for taking shortcuts
- This recipe is pretty forgiving with the seasonings, so taste as you go and adjust to your family’s preferences
Step by Step Directions
This hearty winter stew comes together effortlessly in your crockpot with just a few simple steps.
- Place the prepared potatoes, carrots, and chopped onion in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart crockpot.
- Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, black pepper, sage, and thyme evenly over the vegetables.
- Lay the chicken breast halves on top of the seasoned vegetables.
- Pour the cream of chicken soup over everything, covering the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 6 hours.
- Check that chicken is fully cooked and shreds easily before serving.
For even more consistent results and convenience, consider upgrading to a premium programmable slow cooker that allows you to set precise cooking times and temperatures.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it heartier – A handful of barley or wild rice turns this into serious comfort food territory, though you might need extra liquid.
- Dairy upgrades – Stir in cream cheese or sour cream at the end for restaurant-level richness, because sometimes we all need that extra indulgence.
- Spice it up – A pinch of red pepper flakes or some hot sauce mixed in with the soup gives it a gentle kick without overwhelming anyone.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This stew practically begs for something to soak up all that creamy, savory goodness.
- Crusty bread or dinner rolls – Because to be frank, is there anything better than dunking warm bread into a rich stew? I’m talking about those soft Hawaiian rolls or a good sourdough that can handle some serious dipping action.
- Buttermilk biscuits – Fresh from the oven if you’re feeling ambitious, or hey, those refrigerated ones work just fine when you’re already letting the crockpot do most of the work.
- Simple side salad – Something crisp and light to cut through all that comfort food richness, maybe just mixed greens with a basic vinaigrette.
- Cornbread – Sweet or savory, doesn’t matter, though I lean toward the slightly sweet kind that contrasts nicely with the sage and thyme.
- Mashed cauliflower or extra potatoes – For when you want to go full comfort food mode and carbs are calling your name.
- Steamed broccoli – A little green never hurt anyone, plus it adds some nice color to your bowl.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share some game-changing tips that’ll turn your good stew into an absolutely perfect one.
- Don’t skip washing those cut potatoes – I know it seems fussy, but rinsing off that starch prevents your stew from turning into wallpaper paste, and trust me, nobody wants gluey potatoes.
- Layer smartly in your crockpot – Vegetables on the bottom means they actually cook properly since that’s where the heat concentrates, while chicken on top stays tender and doesn’t turn into rubber.
- Resist the urge to peek – Every time you lift that lid, you’re adding 15-20 minutes to your cook time, and frankly, who’s time for that kind of delayed gratification when you’re already starving?
- Cut everything the same size – Bite-sized means actually bite-sized, not “I need to unhinge my jaw like a snake” sized, because even cooking depends on uniform pieces.
- Season generously but taste as you go – Those amounts are suggestions, not commandments, so adjust the garlic powder and sage to match what makes your taste buds happy.
- Use the right crockpot size – That 2.5-quart size matters because too big means everything spreads out and cooks unevenly, too small means overflow city.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving – The flavors need a moment to settle, plus nobody wants to burn their tongue on molten chicken stew.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty winter stew packs plenty of nutrition into every comforting bowl.
- Calories: Approximately 280-320 per serving (recipe serves 4)
- Protein: 25-30 grams from the chicken breast, making this a solid muscle-building meal
- Carbohydrates: 25-30 grams primarily from potatoes and carrots, providing sustained energy
- Fat: 8-12 grams, mostly from the cream of chicken soup
- Fiber: 3-4 grams from the vegetables, supporting digestive health
- Sodium: 800-1000mg per serving (varies by soup brand used)
- Potassium: High levels from potatoes and carrots, great for heart health
- Vitamin A: Excellent source thanks to those carrots, supporting eye health and immune function
- Vitamin C: Moderate amounts from potatoes, helping with iron absorption
- Iron: 2-3mg per serving from chicken and vegetables
- Calcium: Small amounts from the cream soup base
- Low in sugar: Under 5 grams per serving, mostly natural sugars from vegetables
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional profile, this humble stew carries some fascinating culinary secrets that’ll make you appreciate every spoonful even more.
Did you know that slow-cooking chicken at low temperatures actually preserves more B vitamins than traditional high-heat methods? I find it amazing that carrots become sweeter during extended cooking because their natural starches convert to sugars.
Here’s something cool: sage was once considered sacred by ancient Romans, who believed it promoted wisdom.
The cream of chicken soup in our recipe acts as both a flavor enhancer and natural thickener, eliminating the need for flour or cornstarch while creating that perfect, velvety consistency.
