A quick and easy one-pan stew – tastes like it’s been cooking for hours, but it’s on the table in just 40 minutes!
There’s a certain magic in a big pot of chicken stew simmering away on the stove – the kind that makes your kitchen smell incredible, tastes like you’ve put in way more effort in than you actually have, and turns a regular old Tuesday night into something deeply cosy and comforting. Let’s be honest … some nights just demand a bowl of something warm, rich and hearty. Maybe it’s freezing outside. Maybe you’ve just got home after jostling crowds on public transport or have finally emerged from nose-to-tail traffic and pelting rain. Now you’re craving something homemade and nourishing and you need a meal that practically cooks itself – so you can quickly get out of the kitchen and get onto that soft, comfy couch.

This one-pot wonder ticks all the boxes. Golden, juicy chicken that’s browned for extra flavour. Soft, buttery potatoes and sweet carrots soaking up all the goodness. A rich, savoury broth that’s ridiculously comforting. Minimal effort, but maximum payoff.
Homemade Chicken Stew is the kind of meal that hugs you from the inside, feeds a crowd (or just yourself, twice over), and somehow tastes even better the next day. Grab a big spoon, a hunk of crusty bread, and prepare to fall in love with the easiest, cosiest, most satisfying chicken stew of your life. Make extra as this freezes brilliantly!

What can I serve with Chicken Stew?
This is a full meal in a bowl, so the only thing I usually serve on the side is buttered crusty bread. However, you could serve it with my Freezer Friendly Garlic Bread or 5 Minute Cheesy Garlic Bread. Other good options would be rice, cauliflower rice or mashed potatoes.
What else could I add to Chicken Stew and can I play with the flavours?
You could add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste (concentrated puree) for a slight tang of tomato. And add bay leaves for an extra depth of herby flavour, or use parsley, rosemary, tarragon, dill or sage as well as or instead of the thyme. A sprinkling of paprika is also a nice touch. Swap one or both of the potatoes for the same amount of sweet potato.

What’s the difference between a chicken casserole and a chicken stew?
The main difference between the two is that a casserole is generally baked in the oven, while a stew is cooked on the stovetop. A stew also usually contains more liquid than a casserole as the meat cooks in the liquid, rather than baking in the heat of the oven.
Can I make this stew dairy-free?
Yes, you can! Instead of butter, use 2 extra tablespoons of olive oil. Omit the cream and also omit the parmesan (just add extra salt, if needed, at the end).
Why isn’t my stew thickening?
If your stew is turning out more like a soup, you’re not alone — but it’s an easy fix once you know what to look out for. Here are the most common reasons it might not be thickening:
Not enough heat – Simmering too gently can slow down evaporation. You want a steady simmer, not a low, barely-bubbling one. Once all the ingredients are in the pan, keep the heat at a low to medium simmer so the liquid reduces properly.
Wrong pan – This recipe is designed for a wide, heavy-based pan – not a deep pot. A wider surface area means more evaporation (and therefore thickening). Pots trap moisture and take longer to reduce, which can leave your stew too watery.
Didn’t cook long enough – The stew needs a good 15–18 minutes uncovered to reduce down. If your veggies are tender but it’s still looking soupy, turn the heat up slightly and give it another 5 minutes.
You made it dairy-free – If you’ve skipped the cream and parmesan, you’ll lose a bit of richness and body. That’s totally fine – just know you might prefer to cook it a few minutes longer to make up for it.

Watch how to make Homemade Chicken Stew
If you enjoyed Chicken Stew, I think you’ll love:
Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
One-pan Lemon Herb Chicken Rice (with Chicken Breast)
Marry Me Chicken Risoni (Orzo)
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Homemade Chicken Soup

Homemade Chicken Stew
This comforting Homemade Chicken Stew tastes like it’s been cooking for hours, but is actually quick, easy and all made in one pan. It’s a full meal in a bowl, so no extra sides are needed.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 serves 1x
Ingredients
CHICKEN
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced into 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inch) pieces
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
STEW
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated garlic
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
- ½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine (optional, can be omitted)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (see Note 1 to make recipe dairy-free)
- ¼ cup (35 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 5 cups (1.25 litres) chicken stock
- 2 tsp dried thyme (can be substituted with Italian mixed herbs/Italian seasoning or dried oregano)
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) pieces (waxy are best)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) thickened (heavy) cream (optional) (see Note 1 to make recipe dairy-free)
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan (see Note 1 to make recipe dairy-free)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, plus extra for garnish
- Crusty buttered bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes, tossing regularly until browned all over. Remove the chicken and set aside (it will continue cooking in the stew).
- Add the water to the pan and stir to scrape up any tasty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- To the same pan, add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the white wine and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the butter and cook for 1 minute, or until melted, then add the flour, stirring for 1 minute or until the flour has dissolved and formed a paste around the vegetables.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Add the chicken stock, dried thyme, potatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15–18 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened.
- Turn the heat off. Add the cream and parmesan (if using), followed by the parsley. Stir to combine.
- To serve, divide the stew among four bowls, top with extra parsley and season again with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with the crusty buttered bread on the side.
Notes
Note 1 – To make this dairy-free, instead of butter, use 2 extra tablespoons of olive oil. Omit the cream and also omit the parmesan (just add extra salt, if needed, at the end).
Make Ahead
You can make the entire stew up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge in an airtight container – but don’t add the cream or parmesan. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of stock or water if needed to loosen it. Add the cream and parmesan just before serving for best results.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of stock or water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Comfort food
Katelyn says:
I have a real aversion to healthy food anything labelled stew you can count me out but this, I DEVOURED THIS. The flavours were amazing!!! I added green beans and mushrooms to add more veg for my 1.5year old and he ate it up even asking for more!!!
Nicole says:
Hi Katelyn, haha, so glad you enjoyed this, despite the name! 🤣 The additions you made sound fabulous and I’m super happy that your little eater approved! Thanks for the rating too. Nic x
Gundagai Girl says:
The recipe smelt amazing and was delicious. I stuck to the ingredients listed, used a shallow casserole pot but reduced the stock to 1 litre and it worked perfectly. Cooked it for an extra 15 mins as the potatoes took a bit longer. Served with rice. Thanks Nicole for making your recipes so user friendly. It’s nice to try new, achievable recipes rather than doing the same old recipes on rotation year after year.
Nicole says:
Hi Gundagai Girl, I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe … both while it was cooking and while you were eating!! It really is so comforting, isn’t it. Thanks for letting me know how you cooked the stew … those details are so useful for me to hear. I hope you enjoy more of the recipes. Thanks also for the rating. Nic x
Kalisha Gould says:
1,000 ⭐’s!!!
I’m currently in the worst part of my lutheal phase 😩 which means I was craving something hearty and comforting for dinner, and thankfully found your YouTube video for this recipe. I doubled it before making it because I just knew it would be good. Wow!! It’s absolutely scrumptious!! 🤤🥰 I whipped up some homemade bread to go along with it. So delicious I may have this for breakfast, hehe. 🫶🏼 Thank you for bringing some joy and comfort into a tough day. This will become a weekly staple in my household. ❤️
Nicole says:
Hi Kalisha!! Aha, I know just what you mean and I am SO glad this stew did the trick! I am really impressed you made homemade bread! Legend! (I may have been tempted to sample this stew for breakfast myself in the past! 🤣) Thanks so much for the lovely comments and the rating. Nic x
Ash says:
This is one of the best meals I’ve ever made in my life
Nicole says:
Oh my gosh, Ash, what amazing feedback! You have absolutely made my day. 🥰 So happy you enjoyed this and thanks so much for the rating too! Nic x
Kristina says:
Absolutely yummy. I don’t know about the 10 prep. I was at it a good deal longer. Worth it though! Also, I used a large heavy base pan but the liquid brought it up to the rim and a switched to a pot.
Nicole says:
Hi Kristina, thanks for the feedback re the timing and cooking. I’m happy it worked out for you in the end! Thanks so much for the rating too. Nic x
Meredith says:
The flavour of this dish is incredible! I omitted the wine as I didn’t have any on hand. I used chicken breast and the meat was tender and flavourful.
I used a 5.5 quart stainless steel deep sauté pan and the amount of stock was too much for this width of pan and it took ages to thicken, even with a cornstarch slurry added in. I’ll use less stock next time so it thickens more quickly. I suspect I’m using a smaller width pan than the recipe was developed with. We are already looking forward to leftovers and making it again on the next chilly day. Thanks for the recipe!
Nicole says:
Hi Meredith, really glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for your feedback. I actually made this in my cast-iron, 4 quart Staub Chistera. As a few other people asked about how to thicken the stew, I added some ‘Why isn’t my stew thickening?’ tips in the recipe. If you haven’t already, you might like to check these out in case they help. Nic x
Paulina says:
This recipe is missing the quantity of chicken in the ingredients section.
Nicole says:
Hi Paulina, I’m sorry you couldn’t see the amount, but in the recipe it says “800 g (1 lb 12 oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced into 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inch) pieces”. Are you seeing something else when you look at the recipe? Nic x
Cora says:
As others have commented, this doesn’t thicken to a stew but is a soup consistency. I added cornstarch and that helped a but I wouldn’t call it a stew.
Adrina says:
Hi! What is the name of the pot that you are using for this recipe?
Nicole says:
Hi Adrina, I’m using my beloved Staub Chistera. If you’d like to find out what my favourite equipment is, you can check out my blog article here. Thanks for the rating! Nic x
Virginia says:
Would using chicken breast work as well? It’s all i have on hand but want to try it so bad!
Nicole says:
Hi Virginia, yes, you could use chicken breast, but you’d have to make a few adjustments: Cut the chicken breast into slightly larger chunks (about 3–4 cm/11/4–11/2 inches) so they don’t cook too quickly and dry out. Brown them quickly at the start as per the recipe, but remove them earlier – even just after they’ve turned white on the outside is enough. When the vegetables and stock go in, don’t return the chicken just yet. Simmer the stew without the chicken, then add it back in during the last 5–7 minutes of cooking – just long enough to cook through gently without drying out. I hope that helps! Nic x
Ashley says:
Going to make this tomorrow! Looks delicious for the start of Fall! Are you peeling skin off of potatoes or leaving on?
Nicole says:
Hi Ashley, I actually peel the potatoes. I really hope you enjoy the stew! Let me know how you go. Nic x
Sears says:
Left out the dairy and carrots and added more potatoes with less chicken, it was still really good. Also I added three peppers cause I like that. It works well over rice too. Awesome.
Nicole says:
Hi Sears, thanks for this great feedback … I love hearing how you made and tweaked the recipe! Thanks also for the rating, Nic x