Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Published: Jun 12, 2023 by Drizzle · This post may contain affiliate links · 44 Comments

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There's nothing better than to warm up with a bowl of stew for dinner on one of those gloomy winter days. I love a good stew but I'm not much of a red meat person to be honest and I generally only eat red meat a few times a month.

I tend to go with chicken based meals, so I thought I'd make my favorite chicken stew. I'm certain you will love it as the end result is so tasty! A nice hearty meal the whole family can enjoy.

I'm picky with my veggies so I only added carrots and onion in mine but feel free to add in some different vegetables like celery or peas.

This recipe makes 8- 1 cup servings at 3 points on WW.

Why You Should Try This (Slow Cooker) Chicken Stew

This chicken stew recipe is a comforting meal that will make you feel satisfied due to its savoriness.
A lot of chicken soup recipes are overly complicated for no reason. This is an easy chicken stew recipe because you are able to use your crockpot and just let the pot do the work. It's the perfect recipe for those with a busy day and limited time.
Using a slow cooker allows this soup to simmer away over time and develop flavors. Use chicken thighs with the bone-in to get a better overall chicken flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb mini potatoes (about 3.5 cups *you can use any potato they don't need to be mini)
2 cups baby carrots
1 small red onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (diced)
3 boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1 inch cubes, approx 18oz total)
Salt & pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 can low fat cream of chicken soup (284ml *picture shown)
1 cup chicken broth
⅓ cup milk (I used 1%)
⅓ cup fat-free sour cream
1- 28 g package ranch dip seasoning *picture shown
Bacon crumble for topping *optional

How to Make this Delicious (Slow Cooker) Chicken Stew (Step-by-Step)

Turn slow cooker on to low or high depending on how long you want to cook the stew for, high- 4 hours, low- 6-8 hours.
I always like to give my crockpot a spray with some cooking spray when making this type of meal in it.. add in mini potatoes, I cut mine in halves, carrots, onion and garlic. Then add in the cut chicken breast. Add salt & pepper and onion powder.
In a bowl or large measuring cup mix together the soup, broth, milk, sour cream and ranch seasoning, stir well and add to the slow cooker.
Mix everything up well and then let cook.. 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, once the potatoes & carrots are cooked right through.
Makes 8- 1 cup servings, store leftovers in the fridge, it will freeze well.
*Note- feel free to add in extra veggies like celery or peas etc.. bacon topping is optional I did not include it as an ingredient when giving the point counts

Variations and Substitutions

Getting tender chicken is key in stews, which is why we used the slow cooker. I find that subbing in chicken thighs with bones or wings can lead to really flavorful bits of chicken that fall off of the bone. You could sub in boneless skinless chicken thighs if you wanted, but the really great flavor would come from using the bone in product. Just be careful of the bones when eating, and double check the points as this should increase them.
Using red potatoes is a great way to mix up this recipe and offer color to your stew. They are tasty and have great texture even after a long period of cooking. If a really creamy chicken stew is your goal though, I would avoid reds as they have a lower starch content. Yukon golds are a high starch potato that are perfect for super creamy chicken stews.
Adding sprigs of thyme and rosemary, along with a bay leaf, into this stew are great ideas, as these herbs have a flavor affinity with chicken. The taste they provide is one that helps develop overall flavor in the cooking process. I would add them in 1-2 hours before the soup is done.
If you make the stew and want a thicker texture, making a roux out of flour and butter is always an option. All you would do is melt the butter over medium-low heat and add in an equal part of flour and allow this to cook for a few minutes. To do this, just make the roux in a soup pot before transferring to your slow cooker. You would then add the liquid of your soup into the roux while whisking, bring it to a boil to activate the roux and then add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. This will add points, so make sure you count before adding.
I like to roast corn, green onions and mushrooms when making chicken stews and add them in at the end. The roasted qualities of this veg works really well with chicken.

Tips and Tricks

Storing this stew after you eat it is a breeze. Chances are you might have leftovers, so let them cool in the refrigerator while covered overnight in an airtight container. Then, you can simply portion the soup into individual storage containers and store them in the freezer until you would like to eat this stew again.
I'm often asked which salt I use when cooking, and I always respond with kosher salt. The grain size on kosher salt is easier to use when seasoning and is why I use it.
Use heavy cream in this instead of milk if you would like a thicker and overall creamier eating experience.