So, picture this: it’s that kind of chilly Sunday where socks just aren’t doing the job and the cat keeps stealing your spot on the couch. That’s when I drag out my battered old slow cooker—honest, it was probably born before I was—and start up this Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe. I first tried making it years ago when I accidentally bought five kilos of carrots instead of potatoes (it happens). My roommate at the time thought we’d have to move out from the carrot smell, but hey, now it’s a family favourite. And yes, it still pops up almost every winter at my house, usually because I’ve forgotten to defrost anything else. (One time, I tossed in a bit of dill by mistake; wasn’t my best move, but we still survived!)

Why I Think You’ll Really Want to Try This Stew

I swear by this dish any time the weather goes a bit grim or when I don’t want to stand by the stove. My family practically elbow each other out of the way if they catch that rich, herby smell floating down the hall. And it’s fantastic for feeding a crowd—for some reason, folks show up exactly at dinner time when know I’ve got this on. (Yes, I’m onto you, Dave.) If you’re like me and cannot deal with mad chopping on a weekday, all the better because a rough dice does the trick. Sometimes my carrots are so lopsided it looks like a toddler helped, but everything melts together anyway. Don’t overthink it.

Gathering Up Your Ingredients (and Substitutes I’m Not Afraid to Use)

About 1 kg (or a generous couple of handfuls) boneless chicken thighs – chicken breast is fine if it’s all you’ve got, just not quite as soft
4-5 large carrots, chopped (honestly, I sometimes swap in parsnips if my fridge looks sad)
3-4 potatoes, chunked up – if you’re in a hurry, baby potatoes cut in half work just fine; my gran used to insist on Maris Piper, but I say you do you
2 celery stalks, sliced (or just skip if you forgot to buy any, no one will notice)
1 large onion, diced ish
3 cloves garlic – crushed, chopped, or whacked with a rolling pin, all works
1 can of diced tomatoes (400g, but once I used passata, tasted just as good)
2 cups chicken stock – cubes or homemade, both absolutely fine
2 tsp dried thyme or a fistful of fresh if you’ve remembered to buy it
1 bay leaf (optional, but I throw one in when I remember)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Big handful of frozen peas (right at the end); sometimes sweetcorn sneaks in if I’m clearing the freezer out

Let’s Get Cooking: What Actually Works (and What I Do Instead)

Bite-sized chicken pieces go first. I chuck them straight in the slow cooker raw. Leave the fat on for more flavour, or trim if you prefer it less rich.
Add your carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic. If everything doesn’t fit perfectly at first, no worries. Give it a mix with your hands. (This is where I sneak a taste… not the chicken bits, obviously!)
Pour over the canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Sprinkle with thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Give the whole lot a bit of a stir. Actually, I used to be meticulous about layering veg first, then chicken, but it all sorts itself out in the pot anyway.
Set to Low for 7–8 hours or High for about 4-ish. You want the veggies soft but not total mush. Don’t panic if it looks soupy—potatoes thicken things up as they cook. (Oh, and if you’re home, give it a little stir halfway. If not? Don’t worry.)
30 minutes before you’re ready, toss in the peas. They don’t need long (I once forgot and dumped them in as we served; it was… crunchy).
If you fancy it a bit thicker, mash a few potato chunks right in the pot.
Check seasoning before you serve—sometimes it’s good, sometimes a bit bland (I like a bit more pepper than normal folk, so don’t mind me).

A Few Notes As Someone Who’s Made This… A Lot

If it’s too runny, let it cook with the lid off for the last half hour—sounds counterintuitive but really works
Chicken thighs just hold up better but, okay, breast can be a bit dry if you leave it all day
Don’t overdo the thyme, once I thought more was better and it tasted like a potpourri mishap
If you forget the garlic, just add some powder at the end—I won’t tell

What I’ve Played Around With (and What I’d Skip Next Time)

Added beans (cannellini, not the sweet baked ones!) – came out hearty, actually really good
Red peppers in place of some carrots – jury’s out, maybe too sweet
Tried a splash of white wine once—meh, didn’t really add much so I just drink it instead now
Used rosemary instead of thyme once (by accident, whoops); tasty but a little too piney for me

Kit You’ll Need (But If You Don’t Have It, Improvise!)

Obvious one: Slow cooker. Mine’s an ancient Crock-Pot—any brand’ll do. If you don’t have one, big Dutch oven in a low oven (150°C/300°F) for about 2–3 hours, lid on, checks out just fine.
Cutting board and a reasonably sharp knife (or, full disclosure, I’ve used kitchen scissors in a pinch)
Wooden spoon or big spatula. I’ve even used a soup ladle to stir if everything else is dirty.

Storing Your Stew (“Good Luck Having Leftovers”)

You can pack this into airtight containers and store in the fridge for 3 days; probably even better after a day or so, I tend to think (but, honestly, it never lasts more than a night around here—my partner raids the fridge at 2am like a raccoon with thumbs). Freezes alright for about a month too, just don’t forget to label it. Reheats best on a stovetop, gently, so it doesn’t all fall apart.

How I Serve It At Home (Or When Friends Randomly Appear)

My favourite way: big bowl, ladled steaming hot, with a proper crusty bread—rye if I’m feeling fancy, tiger bread if I’m not. My mum always insisted on a pat of butter melting on top (not strictly necessary, but such a nice touch). Sometimes, I throw in a simple green salad because someone has to eat the veg, right?

Things I’ve Learned (Most From Doing It The Wrong Way First)

Don’t skimp on the cook time. I once cranked the heat hoping for ‘done in 2 hours’ chicken. It looked done. Was it flavoursome? Not even close.
Always check seasoning at the end. I once trusted my nose instead of tasting—ended up bland and I had to sneak in more salt at the table.
Don’t stir too much or the veg will go a bit mushy. (Though I suppose some folks like that, so you do you!)

FAQs (Because You’ve Actually Asked These!)

Can I use frozen chicken?
Honestly, I have once (in a panic) but it took hours longer and I worried about safety. Best to thaw it, but if you must, crank to high heat for the first hour and check it’s fully cooked through! (Official guidelines say always thaw).
Do I need to brown the chicken first?
You can—flavour’s a notch up for sure—but I only bother when I want to feel like I’m on a cooking show. Usually, I skip it.
Can I leave out potatoes if I’m low-carb?
Yes, just add more root veg or beans. The stew will look a bit more brothy, but it’ll still stick to your ribs.
What if I don’t have thyme?
Basil’s odd, rosemary’s okay if you go easy, or skip herbs altogether and serve with hot sauce instead. That’s tasty, if slightly off-piste.
Can I cook this all night?
On low, sure, but take chicken out in the morning or it’ll go a bit dry on you.

Quick little detour here—I once tried making flatbread to go with this stew, using King Arthur Baking’s flatbread recipe; best idea ever, honestly. Also, I do check BBC Good Food’s slow cooker section for inspiration whenever I’m stuck. And if you’re after just the classic, hearty slow cooker basics, Simply Recipes does a pretty reliable version.

Alright, that’s my not-so-formal take on Slow Cooker Chicken Stew. If you give it a go, let me know what got swapped, forgotten, or accidentally improved—I’m all ears, as long as you save me a bowl!

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe