Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

This Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes is full of juicy chicken, tender carrots, chunky sweet potatoes, and tangy tomatoes cooked in a hearty, creamy broth fragrant with herbs. It’s hearty and healthy, with comforting flavors that will brighten up even the coldest day!

A winter favorite, along with my amazing Beef Stew! ?

Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes

I’m a major fan of a good, hearty stew, especially in the winter. This one is especially great because, it warms the soul and hits the spot! The savory broth is made with juicy tomatoes, chicken broth, and a drizzle of real cream spiced with smoked paprika, garlic, and marjoram.

It’s the perfect setting for chicken and root veggies like, sweet potatoes, carrots, and potatoes.

A bowl of this stew is just what I want at the end of a long day, which is perfect because, it’s so convenient to make in the slow cooker. Just add all ingredients to the crock pot, set it, and forget it! 

Is this Chicken Stew Healthy?

Yes, this chicken stew is really healthy! The sweet potatoes alone are a nutrient-dense ingredient packed with vitamins A, B, and C, as well as calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

This chicken stew has tons of good-for-you fiber and protein, too. You’re getting a nice protein punch from the lean chicken breast, and even more vitamins like K, C, and A from the carrots and Yukon Gold potato. ?

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe, like many other stew recipes, does a lot with a little. The chicken is complemented by three basic veggies: sweet potatoes, a Yukon Gold potato, and carrots. Together with the creamy broth, it’s just the right balance of flavors.

• Chicken Breast: You’ll need about one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If you need to use bone-in breasts instead, get a little over a pound, to account for the bone and cartilage weight. Thaw the chicken, if frozen.
• Sweet Potatoes: This recipe uses two medium sweet potatoes, cubed.
• Carrots: The carrots should be cut into half-inch slices, and I use about two large or three medium-sized carrots.
• Yukon Gold Potato: Cube a large Yukon Gold potato, or other waxy potato of your choice.
• Tomatoes: You’ll need a large (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes. Don’t drain them; the liquid adds a great tomato juice flavor to the broth.
• Chicken Broth: Homemade broth is great, if you have it! Store-bought chicken (or veggie) broth is usually what I use, and I prefer to use low-sodium.
• Salt and Pepper
• Smoked Paprika: This bright and fragrant spice brings a wonderful smoky flavor all on its own.
• Dried Marjoram: I don’t know about you, but I don’t use marjoram often enough. It’s great, very similar to oregano but with a milder, sweeter overall taste.
• Cream: To make this recipe extra cozy, a quarter-cup of heavy cream adds richness and brings it all together. Totally optional, but totally recommended!

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

It’s almost unnecessary to even write out the instructions, you guys, because it really could be summed up as, “Dump in the ingredients and cook it.” Ah, the wonderful world of slow cookers! How I love them. ❤️

1. Add All Ingredients (Except Cream) to Slow Cooker. Combine the chicken breasts, cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, tomatoes, broth, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, marjoram, and pepper in your slow cooker. If you like, you can cut up the chicken breasts into cubes before putting them in the slow cooker, OR leave them whole and shred the chicken later on, when it’s cooked through. 
2. Slow Cook Until Chicken Is Done. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Shred the Chicken and Finish the Dish. Remove the chicken breasts and transfer to a cutting board; shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker. Stir in heavy cream; recover and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. At this point, I also like to use my immersion blender and blend the soup just a tad bit, for about 20 seconds, only to add a bit more thickness. Again, all up to you, but it’s a great touch.
4. Ladle in bowls and garnish with basil. Serve.

Tips for Success

You can make quite a few adjustments and changes here, and still wind up with a dish that’s yummy and cozy. Here are a few ideas to make the most of this tasty recipe.

• Watch Your Temperature: Something I’ve learned is that, for better or for worse, some slow cookers cook, well, faster and at a higher temperature than others. So if you can, check your chicken an hour or so ahead of time, to see if it’s already done. If the chicken’s internal temperature registers at 165˚F, the stew is done.
• Substitutions: There are so many cool tweaks you could make to this recipe, if you want. The first and most obvious is probably using dark meat chicken, instead of white meat. Other ideas include:
  • Using parsnips instead of, or in addition to, the carrots
  • Playing with the proportions of regular potato and sweet potato
  • Using cubed winter squash instead of the potatoes
  • Adding a splash of white wine to the broth
  • Topping your bowl with melted cheese, or even a piece of toasted bread topped with cheese as with French onion soup
  • Adding a half-pound or so of Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled.
• To Peel or Not to Peel: Believe it or not, the skins of veggies can be very nutritious and they contain a lot of fiber. So, depending on your taste, you can leave the peels on, scrubbing the veggies well and cubing them as you normally would. I don’t mind doing this with waxy potatoes, though I generally peel carrots and sweet potatoes; but some people leave the peels on all three!

What Goes with Chicken Stew?

• Salad: Any salad would be nice with this simple chicken stew, from a complex chopped salad to a simple Caesar. But I think the fall-ish flavors of Broccoli Apple Salad really contrast nicely with the marjoram and tomato in this dish.
• Bread: I have such a weakness for fresh bread with soups and stews, you know? For this recipe, my Light Skillet Cornbread would make a pleasantly surprising side, instead of the usual garlic bread or roll.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• To refrigerate leftover stew, place cooled stew in airtight containers and store in the fridge for three to four days.
• To reheat, place the leftovers in a small saucepan and heat on low, until fully heated through.

Can I Freeze Extras?

• Definitely! Just place the cooled stew in freezer bags, leaving a small amount of room for the liquid to expand as it freezes.
• Chicken Stew will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.

ENJOY!

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