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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with fall-apart chicken thighs, chunky potatoes and carrots, and a thick, glossy gravy made by cornstarch slurry. Cook low for 6-8 hours for deeply tender meat and fully softened vegetables.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Protein and aromatics
  • 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs skin and bones removed after cooking
  • 1 lb baby potatoes halved
  • 3 carrots cut into thick rounds
  • 3 celery sliced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic minced
Broth and flavor
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
Thickener and serving
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water to make slurry
  • 3 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry
  • 1 fresh parsley for serving
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Nestle the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables so they’re mostly covered by the layer beneath.
  3. Add the garlic, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf over the top.
Cook until tender
  1. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
  2. Or cook on High for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Shred and thicken
  1. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat.
  2. Remove the bay leaf from the stew and stir the cornstarch slurry into the liquid.
  3. Cook on High for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the gravy turns thick and coats the vegetables.
Finish
  1. Return the shredded chicken to the stew and stir to combine.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For the thickest gravy, stir in the cornstarch slurry fully and cook on High long enough for the stew to come to a steady simmer; it should look glossy and cling to a spoon. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze leftovers up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently and stir to bring back the texture). For a lighter option, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduced-fat cream of chicken soup if you want a lower-sodium stew without changing the method.