My chicken stew is an extra comforting one-pot meal, filled to the brim with lots of rich flavor. Prepared with tender chunks of paprika-spiced chicken, plus carrots, yellow potatoes, diced tomatoes, spinach and a little kiss of white wine, this hearty chicken stew recipe is the perfect warming and saucy meal to cozy up with!
A Warming, Nourishing, and Extra Cozy Chicken Stew
Whenever I go into my kitchen to work on a new soup or stew recipe, my hubby and I become a bit like kids, excited with the anticipation of enjoying a super comforting meal that’ll warm our bellies later that evening...
We both absolutely adore rich, hearty stews with their rustic ingredients, and find them slightly “romantic” in their beautiful earthiness, their simplicity, and their ability to be so very comforting with a slice or two of our homemade sourdough bread, courtesy of my hubby.
The idea of a big, steaming hot bowl stew at the end of a long work day is utterly pleasurable to us, and I very often find myself imagining new flavor combinations to put together for us to be nourished by.
This delicious and easy chicken stew recipe is our latest favorite love-in-a-bowl meal, prepared with very simple ingredients that have just the right amount of rich flavor with a bit of brightness, perfect to ladle up and find some pleasure in.
Tender chunks of chicken are seasoned with a hint of both sweet and smoked paprika for a little zesty-ness, and I also add in baby yellow potatoes, carrots, and onions, a small hint of wine, plus finely diced tomatoes and some baby spinach leaves at the end.
The result is a delectably aromatic and lightly spiced chicken stew, perfect as a healthy-yet-satisfying dinner any night of the week!
How to Make Chicken Stew
I find that soups and stews always taste better as their ingredients and flavors mingle together a bit, not to mention there’s the added convenience of having a hearty and comforting meal on hand to simply ladle up and reheat after a long day!
For my chicken stew recipe, I opt for skinless and boneless chicken thighs, as these remain mouthwateringly juicy and flavorful when simmered in a stew such as this, as opposed to skinless and boneless chicken breast which would tend to become a bit dry after a slightly longer cooking process.
As far a veggies go, I love the combination of buttery, yellow baby potatoes, carrots, and onions, and add in a can of finely diced tomatoes (drained of juices) as well. Some chopped baby spinach is added in at the end, and allowed to simply wilt into the stew.
Then, of course, there are the aromatic ingredients, which provide so much flavor! I like to use a combo of sweet paprika and smoked paprika, a bay leaf, garlic, ground caraway seeds, and a touch of white wine.
Here's a glance at how I make my chicken stew: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To begin, I season and sear my chicken in a medium-large or large soup pot until golden; then, remove the chicken and add in my aromatics, and cook those for a few minutes.
- Next, I add a touch of flour and some chicken stock, followed by the wine, the seared chicken, carrots, potatoes, and bay leaves. The chicken stew is then gently simmered for roughly 45 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- To finish, I add in the baby spinach, allowing it wilt into the hot stew, followed by the fresh parsley, just before serving.
Recipe
Chicken Stew
by Ingrid Beer

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 449 calories per serving
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into medium-large chunks
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, divided use
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided use
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 6 level tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided use
- Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (about 1”)
- 1 pound baby yellow potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 (15 ounce) can finely diced tomatoes, drained of juices
- 1 cup (packed) baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have organized and ready for use.
- Place the chicken thigh chunks into a large bowl. Sprinkle over a couple of good pinches of salt and black pepper, 1 teaspoon of the sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of the smoked paprika, all of the granulated onion and garlic, plus 2 tablespoons of the flour, and toss well to coat the pieces.
- Next, place a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 3-4 tablespoons of the olive oil; once hot, add about half of the seasoned chicken thigh chunks and allow them to sear for a few minutes until slightly golden. Remove from pot and repeat with the remainder of the chicken thigh pieces, then remove those from the pot as well, and set aside for a moment.
- Reduce the heat under the pot to medium now, and add the butter to the pot; once melted, add in the chopped onion along with a couple more pinches of salt and black pepper, and allow it to saute for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Next, add in the garlic, the rest of the sweet paprika and the smoked paprika, the caraway seeds and the white pepper, and stir until the mixture is aromatic, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the remaining flour (4 tablespoons), and stir to incorporate it into the mixture for a moment; then, slowly whisk in the chicken stock (or broth) until smooth.
- Add in the white wine, the bay leaves, the carrots, potatoes and diced tomatoes, along with the browned chicken thigh pieces, and bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer; then, reduce the heat and allow the stew to gently simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the chicken stew by adding the chopped baby spinach and the parsley, allowing the spinach to just wilt into the stew; ladle into bowls and serve with bread, if desired.
Tips & Tidbits for my Chicken Stew:
- Skinless, boneless chicken thighs for flavor: Nothing beats chicken thighs when it comes to a rich flavorful chicken stew. What's great about them is that they remain nice and tender, more forgiving, even if cooked for an extended period of time.
- Baby potatoes, yellow or red: I opt for waxy potatoes in my chicken stew, because I appreciate their slightly more buttery flavor. Russets can be substituted in a pinch, but they are starchier and will have a different texture than the waxy. You can use either yellow or red, and if available, choose baby potatoes. Otherwise, cut larger potatoes into smaller chunks.
- Aromatic seasoning for some zip: The combo of both sweet and smoked paprika is really nice here, and these even add some reddish color. I also sprinkle in ground caraway seeds (these are not fennel seeds, but do look similar), and add a couple of bay leaves for a mellow earthy note.
- A kiss of white wine, or leave it out: I'm using just a ¼ cup of white wine in this stew, but if you prefer to leave the alcohol out, feel free to do so. You can sub ¼ cup more of the chicken stock or broth in that case, and perhaps add a teeny squeeze of lemon into the stew at the very end for some very mild “zip”.
Hungry for more cozy stew and soup recipes? Check out this Pork Stew, this Lentil Chili, this Chili Verde, this Philly Cheesesteak Stew, or this Harvest Stew with Smoked Sausage!
Stephanie Tanulku
Hi Ingrid,
This is Stephanie (Riedel) .
I found your site and tried making your chicken stew this evening. It’s was yummy, even my boys liked it!
Thanks for sharing it.
Take care,
Stephanie
The Cozy Apron
Hi Stephanie! So wonderful to hear from you here! 🙂
I'm thrilled that you found the site, and even happier that you actually prepared this recipe. It made me smile that even your boys enjoyed it, which is always a momma's hope, right?!
All the best to you and your loved ones, and I hope you find more tasty morsels to prepare and enjoy, friend. All my best, Stephanie! xoxo
Daniella shaw
Hi Ingrid!!! I made this stew a couple of days ago. It was perfect for a cold winter night. Love the flavours of the sweet and smoky paprika. It's the perfect stick to your ribs kind of meal. Delicious!! Thank you for another fantastic recipe! Hope you and your family are doing well and staying healthy. ❤️❤️
The Cozy Apron
Hi sweet Dani!
Jeff came around Instagram to share with me that the two of you were making this stew, and that it was making the house smell really good as it was cooking, haha! I was so touched and excited you were preparing this recipe, and my heart is so happy you both enjoyed it and were comforted by it. 🙂
Sending love to the both of you, and may you all stay healthy and well through this season, friend! XOXO
Hannah
I just wanted to jet you know that I’ve tried many of your recipes and they are truly delicious. Your carnitas are my go-to for tacos. I’m making this stew this week and the flavors sound amazing. Cant wait to try it!
The Cozy Apron
Hannah, that is music to my ears—thanks so much for sharing this with me! 🙂
So glad you've been enjoying the carnitas recipe for tacos—that's so fun and super tasty, I'm sure! And I hope you enjoy this cozy, warming stew as well, and continue to find more recipes to play around with and enjoy.
Happy cooking, Hannah!
Tim M
This chicken stew recipe is fantastic ! First time making it but what flavors! Easy to make and so good for those cold nights !
The Cozy Apron
Thanks so much, Tim! Thrilled you enjoyed this cozy recipe, and yes—it's absolutely perfect for a cold night! 🙂
Debbie Sharpe
I am so glad I found you! Football season is starting, so I was searching for something to get us in the mood for the fall weather to come. This is really delicious. Your writing and photos are truly beautiful, as is your philosophy on food and love. I will be making many more of your recipes in the near future. Thank you!
The Cozy Apron
Debbie, I am also so glad you found our website! 🙂
How wonderful...I'm thrilled you found the stew so cozy, helping to create that fall mood at your dinner table. I know I'm personally ready for all the comfy-cozy fall eats!
Thanks so much for your kind words, they are the "food" which sustains me in my work here. Much appreciated, truly.
Please do peruse the site, as I'm certain you'll find lots more recipes to warm and fill your bellies. Enjoy, and happy cooking to you Debbie!