Bold and comforting, this chicken potato stew combines smoky bacon, dark beer, and tender veggies for a soul-warming meal.
Stews aren’t just for winter—this chicken potato stew is perfect any time you need a bowl of something so comforting it feels like a culinary therapy session.
It’s got all the good stuff: smoky bacon (because obviously), juicy chicken, tender veggies, and a generous splash of beer. Plus, it’s easy to make ahead, making it ideal for Sunday meal prep sessions. Serve it with your favorite salad or a side of greens, like steamed broccoli or steamed green beans.
Making it light-ish
Yes, this stew contains bacon and beer, but the calories and saturated fat are kept surprisingly low by using a couple of tricks:
- Use center cut bacon and boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which contain less fat.
- No cream needed to make this stew thick and creamy. A little flour does the trick.
- Coat the bottom of the skillet with an oil spray to brown the meat. Avocado oil spray works well with the high heat, especially in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I don’t recommend using chicken breasts as they tend to dry out easily.
- Vegetables: Use a standard base of onions, carrot and celery, known as a mirepoix. And add garlic, of course!
- Potatoes: I used mini potatoes and cut them into ¾-inch pieces. Larger red-skinned potatoes can also be used. Just be sure to cut them into small enough pieces so that they don’t take too long to cook.
- Beer: Brown ale works well in this recipe. A porter would be a good substitute.
- Bacon: Use center cut bacon, which has less fat than other cuts. If the fat content isn’t a concern, feel free to use another cut.
- Broth: Your favorite store-bought or homemade chicken broth. Broths tend to vary wildly in saltiness, so season the stew according to your tastebuds.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves (fresh or dried).
- Tomato paste: A couple of tablespoons. Tomato paste in a tube is so convenient!
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to thicken the stew.
How to make chicken potato stew
⭐️ See full recipe card below. ⭐️
- Brown the chicken pieces in a hot saucepan. Do this in two batches so the chicken browns rather than steams. Set aside. I like to use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven for easier clean up.
- Cook the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Add in the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered. Sauté the tomato paste with the rest of the mixture for a couple of minutes.
- Add the potatoes, herbs, beer and broth. Boil then simmer, adding the browned chicken partway through.
- Make a slurry with the flour and some of the simmering broth, and add to the stew. Cook to thicken the stew. Remove the bay leaves & thyme stems. Serve it up!
Make-Ahead and Storage
While the flavors are wonderful straight from the stovetop, stews are almost always even better the day after. The layers of flavor have a chance to meld and intensify.
In the fridge: Allow the stew to cool, then transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Cooked potatoes tend to turn mealy and mushy after being frozen and defrosted, so I don’t recommend freezing this stew unless you leave out the potatoes.
Reheating it: Reheat it on medium-low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. The stew should start to loosen up as it heats. However, if it’s too thick, add some chicken broth to thin it.
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Chicken Potato Stew Recipe
Bold and comforting, this chicken potato stew combines smoky bacon, dark beer, and tender veggies for a soul-warming meal.
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Servings: 5 Servings
Calories: 415kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground pepper divided
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 large carrots cut into ½-inch rounds
- 2 celery stalks cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 slices center cut bacon chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound mini potatoes or red-skinned potatoes cut into ¾-inch pieces (See Note below)
- 1 (14 ounce) can brown ale (beer) or porter
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth divided, or more as needed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
Season the chicken thigh pieces with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Let rest while you prep the vegetables. This allows the seasoning to seep into the meat.
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat, spray with oil and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Do this in two batches so the chicken pieces fit into the saucepan in a single layer. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
Spray the saucepan again and add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. If the onion is drying out while cooking, add 2 tablespoons hot water, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the saucepan (use a wooden spoon).
Add the carrots, celery, garlic, bacon, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until the fat renders out of the bacon and the bacon starts to brown on the edges, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Stir in the potatoes, beer, 1 ½ cups chicken broth, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the mixture maintains a lively simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 50 minutes. About 15 minutes into cooking, add the chicken and any accumulated juices.
If the potatoes aren’t tender yet and there doesn’t appear to be enough liquid, add more chicken broth (¼ to ½ cup).
Place the flour in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in ½ cup of the stew cooking liquid (careful, it will be hot!) and ¼ cup chicken broth to form a slurry. Whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to the stew.
Simmer the stew, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Stir in the parsley. Serve.
Notes
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the built-in recipe card calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.33cups | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 201mg | Sodium: 971mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
