This easy creamy chicken stew recipe is full of carrots, celery, potatoes…and bacon! The ultimate comfort food, all in one pot.
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Why we love this recipe
Oh, this easy, scrumptious chicken dinner. It’s somewhere in between a stew and a chicken soup…it’s thicker than a soup for sure, and even though I’m calling it a stew, all that delectable creamy sauce up there makes it a little more soup-like than your typical stew.
Let’s just put it this way: you are going to want both a fork AND a spoon to scoop up every single drop and morsel. Because this is hearty, warm and wonderful cold weather comfort food at its most comforting.
Now, one of the things I love about this recipe is that it is a great way to use up leftover roast chicken.
If you don’t happen to have leftover roast chicken hanging around, it’s perfectly okay to pick up one of those roasted chickens in the supermarket…they will work just fine here.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient additions and substitutions
- Chicken: You can use any kind of cooked chicken you have around, both white and dark meat. You can also use turkey instead of chicken.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes.
- Cream: Want things Extra Creamy? Use heavy cream instead of half and half.
- Vegetables: Other vegetables you can add include peas, cubed butternut squash and spinach. Add these when you add the potatoes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Now, one of the things that makes this recipe so heavenly is that you are going to both start off and finish it with bacon. You cook up some chopped bacon until it is nice and crispy, and then scoop it out…but leave the drippings in there.
Step 2: Now toss in some chopped carrots, celery and onion along with some salt and thyme, and cook them up just until they are tender and perfect, about 5 minutes. Stir in a little flour (this is going to help things thicken up a bit.
Step 3: Add some chicken broth and chopped potatoes to the pot and simmer everything up for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Pour in some half and half and some cooked shredded chicken, give it all a stir and simmer it up for another five minutes.
Step 5: Stir in that cooked bacon and some chopped scallions, stir and give it a minute or so to warm up. Tell the folks drawn into your kitchen by the amazing aroma to set the table…because you’re done! Now spoon it out, and spend the next little while thinking that it really doesn’t matter whether it is a soup or a stew…as long as it tastes so dang good!
Recipe FAQs
White meat, dark meat or a mixture will all work. I’ve even used leftover Thanksgiving turkey and it was scrumptious!
You can…but it’s not that much over the whole recipe, and it does provide that creaminess that makes this recipe so special.
If you are using Idaho potatoes then yes, I would peel them. If you are using red or Yukon gold or baby potatoes, I always leave the skin on – it’s nice and thin and tender.
A Dutch Oven is a heavy pot with thick, high walls and a tight fitting lid (although you don’t need the lid for this recipe). Here is the Dutch Oven I love to cook with. It’s definitely spendy, but I use it all the time and it will last forever.
Drop it in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
Well, nothing goes better with a creamy, dreamy soup or stew like a nice warm butter biscuit. And how about some pumpkin doughnut muffins for a sweet dessert?
Other soup and stew recipes we love
Looking for more comfort food? Here is our complete collection of comfort food recipes!
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
PrintCreamy Chicken Stew
Creamy chicken stew is full of carrots, celery, potatoes…and bacon! The ultimate comfort food, all in one pot. Welcome to comfort food heaven!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 4 cups chicken broth (I like the Pacific and Imagine box varieties)
- 2 large red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and thyme and cook over medium heat until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add flour, stir and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add broth and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are done.
- Add chicken and half and half and simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Stir in cooked bacon and scallions and serve.
Notes
Chicken: You can use either white meat or dark meat for this recipe. If you don’t have leftover chicken or you don’t want to cook up your own, you can use a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and it will work just fine!
Potatoes: We recommend either red skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe. Not only do they both have a great flavor, but you don’t have to peel them (scrub them up well though!)
Consistency: If you want the sauce thicker and more stew-like, whisk in some flour after you have simmered the broth and potatoes, about a tablespoon at a time. Wondra flour (which you can find in the baking aisle) is a super fine flour that is perfect for thickening soups and stews.
Chris W says
This recipe was quick and easy. I used asafoetida as a substitute for the onions and lactose free half and half to keep the meal low FODMAP and it turned out great.
Thank you Chris, and thanks for your info – I know this will help other folks who want to make this recipe! :)
Christy says
used gluten free flour and worked great!
Christy says
and proscuito! didn’t have any bacon.
yummy!
had to add just a little bit of butter – otherwise delicious!
Prosciutto, yum! I’ll have to try that (and the butter) the next time I make this one. :)
Christy! Thanks so much for sharing this info – I know our gluten-free friends will appreciate it! :)