Hearty Creamy Chicken Stew
When we think of comfort food for winter, we often think of hot soups and stews. Most of the recipes I have for stew are for beef stew. While I enjoy a good beef stew as much as the next gal, I really prefer to eat chicken in soups and stews. I knew there must be a recipe for one that I would love but all the ones I have tried seemed bland and lacking. I just didn’t find the rich taste I was looking for. And then I decided to totally wing it. No recipe, no guidelines except my taste and I think I hit on a winner. We really enjoyed this Hearty Creamy Chicken Stew.
I buy most of our food at a local market named David’s Natural Market. Its a small chain of stores in my area and I have gotten familiar with the choices of food there over the years. I am telling you this because I love their Rotisserie Chickens. Whoever thought up the idea to cook these delicious birds in the store and sell them ready to eat, is one of my heroes. I realize that David’s is not the only store to carry this culinary delight but David’s sells fresh, organic, free range chicken and it truly does taste better. So after we enjoy the chicken dinner, there is usually enough left for a couple of sandwiches before the bones hit the crock pot and become bone broth. I just love using the entire bird. Makes me feel so homesteady. Cue Little House on the Prairie theme. So now I have my chicken broth, my meat that fell off the bones during the simmering and I am ready to make some soup or stew!
Here’s how I made the Stew. There is a printable recipe at the end of this post too.
To the pot I added 2 quarts of water, the chicken carcass, one and a half teaspoons of Herbamare Seasoning. (or a complete herb seasoning that you like). After the chicken bones have pretty much boiled clean (about 2 to 3 hours) and are soft and the meat has fallen off, strain the liquid and save. Let the bones and meat cool until you can pick through. Add the meat back to the broth. Add to the pot, 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric, 1 cup of celery, 1 cup of cut up carrots, 2 cups of mixed vegetable (corn, beans, peas, Lima beans, etc. one and a half cups diced tomatoes. Mix well and continue to simmer for another hour. Mix 1/2 cup milk, 1 and 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 cup flour. Blend well. Add the flour/milk/water mixture to the soup, stirring while adding. Increase heat to a low boil, stir while the stew thickens some. Return heat to simmer. Taste and add salt or more Herbamare seasoning to taste.
I hope you will enjoy this hearty winter style recipe. Let me know what you think of the Hearty Creamy Chicken Stew.
quick tip! – Save any leftover vegetables from the serving bowl at dinners in a zip lock. Add to it when you have leftovers. When you need mixed vegetables for soups or stews grab the bag! Ready made mixed vegetables!
- I rotisserie chicken
- 2 quarts of water
- Herbamere seasoning or a herb seasoning of your choice
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1 cup of celery chopped
- 1 cup of sliced carrots
- 2 cups of mixed vegetables
- 1 and 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 and 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt to taste
- Simmer the chicken carcass and the herb seasoning and bay leaf for 2 to 3 hours. Strain off the broth and let the bones and meat cool. When cool, separate the meat from the bones and add back to the broth.
- Add the Turmeric, celery, carrots, mixed vegetables and tomatoes, continue to simmer the stew until the vegetables are tender about 1 to 2 hours.
- Make a creamy mixture by mixing the water, milk and flour and blending well. Add the milk/flour/water mixture to the stew slowly while stirring. Increase heat and stir until the stew gravy thickens.
- Add salt and more herb seasoning to taste. Remove Bay leaf before serving.
- Serve with rolls, or salad
- Save the extra vegetables from the serving bowl in a zip lock in the freezer for ready made mixed vegetables for soups and stews.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you !!! Finally someone who knows how hard it is to find good chicken recipes. I don’t know why more ‘hearty’ recipes for chicken are not out there. It is like someone decided chicken couldn’t be hearty, and know one argued. So it became ‘light’ fare. I have been substituting chicken for beef, and pork, in recipes for years. Now I am no longer alone. Again, Thank you.
jonnie- So glad to know I am not alone, too! And I totally agree with everything you stated. Thanks for commenting. – Janet
oh gosh, this looks so good! I’m hoping we have a few more cold spells so I can make this. I love your tip on the mixed veggies! Thanks for sharing at Simple Lives Thursday; hope to see you again this week.
I love the idea of saving left over veggies. Now if I could just crawl out from under my blanket and get to the kitchen…. LOL Thanks for sharing on the (mis)Adventures Monday. I look forward to you sharing again!