This delicious winter stew with chicken and vegetables makes a satisfying and nutritious meal. It's easy to make and doesn’t require hours of cooking!
This winter stew is deliciously warming and satisfying, perfect on a chilly night. It's also low in fat, packed with vegetables and super nutritious. Apart from peeling a few vegetables all this dish requires is to assemble the ingredients in a pot, then let the mixture simmer and turn into a stew. You’ll have a steaming, delicious dish cooked from scratch on the table in under 45 minutes!
What is the best meat to use in a stew
This is entirely down to personal preference. I like to use chicken because it's quick and makes for a lighter stew (see also chicken potato stew as well as chicken butternut squash stew). But this recipe will also work with pork or beef.
If you would like to use either of these meats chop them into chunks and add to the sauteed onion. Next add the stock and cook, covered, for about 1.5 hours then add the vegetables and remaining ingredients (as per Instructions) and cook until tender.
Winter stew ingredients
- Chicken: use chicken thighs rather than chicken breast (which is too lean to use in a stew). If you would like to use boneless chicken thigh fillets cut them roughly and remove as much fat as possible.
- Vegetables: I used popular winter vegetables including potatoes, carrots, leeks and celeriac.
- Herbs: I used thyme but you can use your favourite dried herb mix instead.
- Tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce: add sharpness.
- Redcurrant jelly: adds sweetness. You can use cranberry sauce instead.
- Porcini mushrooms: add complexity and depth of flavour. There is only a hint of mushroom flavour in the stew. You can omit this ingredient and add a little soy sauce instead (approx. 2 teaspoons).
- Stock: use either vegetable or chicken stock.
- Wine: you can omit this ingredient if you like and perhaps add a little more Worcestershire sauce instead.
Do I need to peel the vegetables
No, you don’t! Leaving the potatoes and carrots unpeeled will give this rich winter stew more of a rustic feel. Just wash them thoroughly before adding into the pot. I do, however, recommend peeling the celery root (otherwise it will be difficult to get rid of all the soil trapped within its gnarly skin).
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Rinse the porcini mushrooms thoroughly rubbing gently to remove any grit then place in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water (after about 10 minutes chop the mushrooms and reserve the water). Set aside while you start making the stew.
2. In a large pot heat the oil, add the bay leaf, allspice and juniper berries, celery root and onion and cook gently for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine and cook for another minute or so.
3. Push the vegetables to the sides, add the chicken thighs and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Pour in the stock, add the leek, carrot, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and porcinis (along with the water they soaked in). Add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, stir, cover and bring to the boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked, stirring gently once in a while.
6. Remove from the heat, lift the chicken out of the pot and place on a plate or cutting board. Remove the bones (if present) and shred the meat roughly.
7. Place the meat back in the pot, stir through the redcurrant jelly, adjust the seasoning if needed, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
This winter vegetable chicken stew is delicious served with garlic bread, crusty baguette or soda bread. You could also serve it with couscous, steamed vegetables, such as green beans or broccoli, as well as rutabaga/swede mash.
How to make vegetarian winter stew
This recipe can be easily adapted to suit a vegetarian/ vegan diet. Simply use cannellini beans (as I've done in my root vegetable stew) instead of the meat or omit altogether and follow the rest of the steps as per Instructions. Make sure your Worcestershire sauce is vegan (alternatively use white wine vinegar).
Other winter vegetables you can use
- Rutabaga/swede, turnip and parsnip: these can be added along with the potatoes and carrots.
- Kale and brussels sprouts: add about 20 minutes before the end of cooking.
TIP: If you add more vegetables you may also have to add more stock and seasoning. Alternatively use less potatoes and more vegetables.
Top tips
- I prefer to use chicken thighs with the bone but you can use boneless chicken if you like. Chop it roughly removing as much as possible.
- Wash the porcinis thoroughly before adding into the stew. You can pour the mushroom water into the stew through a fine mesh sieve.
- Cook this winter stew gently (do not allow it to boil rapidly) so the vegetables retain their shape.
- Your stew is ready when the potatoes are fully cooked. Try not to overcook it.
- This stew tastes even better the next day! Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Optional ingredients
This easy stew with chicken and vegetables is rich and flavourful but as it’s also versatile you can mix things up a bit and add your own twist to this dish. You can use the following:
- Spinach: add towards the end of cooking
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic
More comforting stews to try next
- Chickpea Stew with Harissa
- Sauerkraut Casserole with Chicken
- Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans
- Root Vegetable Stew (Polish-Style)
See also these other easy meal ideas!
Recipe
Comforting Winter Stew
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 4-5 chicken thighs skinless
- 1 pound (450 g) baby/salad potatoes peeled weight, approx. 10-12 potatoes
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled, chopped into ½'' chunks
- 1 small leek chopped into 1½'' chunks
- 2.47 ounces (70 g) celery root peeled, finely diced
- 0.18 ounces (5 g) dried porcini mushrooms approx. 2-4 mushrooms
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable/chicken stock hot
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1-2 sprigs fresh
- 2 allspice berries
- 4 juniper berries
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tablespoons redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce/jelly
- Sea salt and pepper to taste and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the porcini mushrooms thoroughly rubbing gently to remove any grit then place in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water (after about 10 minutes chop the mushrooms and reserve the water). Set aside while you start making the stew.
- In a large pot heat the oil, add the bay leaf, allspice and juniper berries, celery root and onion and cook gently until softened for about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook for another minute or so.
- Push the vegetables to the sides, add the chicken thighs and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
- Pour in the stock, add the leek, carrot, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and porcinis (along with the water they soaked in). Add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, stir, cover and bring to the boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked, stirring gently once in a while.
- Remove from the heat, lift the chicken out of the pot and place on a plate or cutting board. Remove the bones (if present) and shred the meat roughly.
- Return the meat to the pot, stir through the redcurrant jelly, adjust the seasoning if needed, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- I prefer to use chicken thighs with the bone but you can use boneless if you like. If you decide to use boneless chicken thigh fillets chop them roughly and discard any fat before cooking.
- Use either baby potatoes or salad potatoes (ex. Alexandra, Charlotte, Yukon Gold).
- Wash the porcinis thoroughly before adding into the stew. You can pour the mushroom water into the stew through a fine mesh sieve.
- Do not allow the stew to boil rapidly (so the vegetables retain their shape).
- Your stew is ready when the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Tastes even better the next day! Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Serve with garlic bread, crusty baguette, soda bread, roasted parsnips, steamed broccoli/green beans or rutabaga/swede mash.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make this winter stew recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any swaps? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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