Stew is a delicious combination of chicken or meat cooked in liquid gravy flavored with varied herbs and spices. Stew also incorporates certain veggies such as potatoes and carrots and hence is very healthy. There is very little or no oil involved in making a stew hence this dish is a weight-watcher’s delight.

Stew is particularly great for family get togethers and events where you inviting larger number of guests. Since you can make large quantities of this delicious dish in quick time, stew is an ideal item on a party menu. Stew makes for a hearty and comforting meal on cold wintry days.

The delicious flavor of chicken or meat when combined with fresh herbs and subtle spices makes for delectable recipe. This article tells you how you can make chicken stew at home. Read on to find out the ingredients and method to make this very simple yet flavorful preparation at home.

Ingredients

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 spoons olive oil
1 potato cut into small sized pieces
1 carrot peeled and cut into small pieces
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
2 spoons crushed paprika powder
½ cup fresh mushrooms thinly sliced
1 spoon dried sage
1 spoon dried basil leaves
1 spoon garlic powder
1 spoon dried parsley
½ cup chopped fresh celery
4-5 spoons flour
3 spoons water

Method

Prepare the chicken by washing it in water and cutting it into small or medium sized pieces. To make this stew, first heat olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions till they turn mildly translucent. Next add the celery, diced potato, diced carrots and chopped mushrooms. Sauté all the ingredients for 2 minutes.

Add salt, paprika powder, garlic powder and freshly crushed black pepper. Stir in the chicken broth. Next add the dried herbs such as sage, parsley, and basil. Now add the chicken pieces, cover the pan and reduce the heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and allow the chicken to cook with the veggies and herbs for around 15-20 minutes.

Keep checking the liquid level in the pan to ensure that there is enough broth throughout the cooking process. The stew must have sufficient gravy once it is done for it to taste flavorful. Add more chicken broth during the cooking process if you feel that the cooking liquid is less. Mix the flour with little water and keep ready. Once the chicken gets cooked, add the flour to the stew to thicken the sauce. You can skip this step if you want your stew to be runny in consistency.  Remove from flame and serve this stew hot with fresh bread rolls or warm garlic bread.

There are many variations to this recipe and you can use ingredients of your choice to suit your family’s palate. You can add canned tomatoes or tomato paste to the gravy when it is getting cooked. This will give your stew a tangy taste. This stew can also be made with beef or lamb. You can also add other veggies of your choice such as cauliflower florets or green beans. Cooked and lightly mashed kidney beans can also be added to the stew to make the gravy thicker and to impart a different flavor profile.