Cozy Chicken Stew

Last week we visited my dear sister and her family in the Colorado rocky mountains.  Spending time with her is always a little awe-inspiring for me-  not only is she an incredibly hard-working momma of 3 year-old twins, she runs her own photography business, and she just launched a merino wool children’s clothing company together with her husband.  And despite all that she does, she’s incredibly humble, thoughtful, and kind.  She’s my little sis, but I look up to her in so many ways and some of my best memories in life are with her.  For our time together in the mountains, my sister (who also happens to be remarkably organized) spoiled me and brought an entire cooler plus bags full of groceries and frozen meals.  As much as I love cooking, I also love not cooking, and it was such a welcome break from my normal routine of meal planning and grocery shopping.  We’re home again now and though the weather has teased us with glimpses of spring, part of me still wishes for those snowy mountainscapes and cozy meals after long days of skiing.

If it were the other way around and my sister were to visit me in those snow-capped mountains, I would treat her and her sweet family to this slow-cooker chicken stew.  The stew is quite versatile and can be adapted to use whatever produce you may have on hand.   I used onions, carrots, potatoes, and kale, but celery, peas, and/or any other types of dark leafy greens could also be used.  My kids are particularly fond of egg noodles, but I also like this served over polenta and I think brown rice or farro would also be good complements.  The chicken along with the vegetables are slow simmered in a white wine broth seasoned with thyme for a hearty and comforting bowl.  Both the slow cooker or the stovetop can be used, although lately I’ve enjoyed getting dinner prepped in the morning and letting the slow cooker do its work for the rest of the day.  Serve with fresh chopped parsley and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.

Cozy Chicken Stew

• Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
• kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 dry white wine
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound red potatoes, about 3-4 medium, scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 carrots, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• Cooked egg noodles, polenta, or rice
• chopped fresh parsley and crushed red pepper for serving

Instructions

1. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add half the chicken to skillet and brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a bowl or rimmed plate and set aside. Add another tablespoon of ghee and repeat with remaining chicken. Transfer to bowl.
2. In the same skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon of ghee over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and continually stir and cook until tomato paste begins to darken and onions are soft, about 7-10 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir for another minute to evenly coat the vegetables. Gradually whisk in the wine and then 1 cup of the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
3. Also in the same skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of ghee over medium high heat. Add the potatoes and carrots and stir until carrots start to turn a bit glossy, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
4. Pour the remaining chicken broth into the slow cooker, add the bay leaves, and give a gentle stir with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken thighs to the soup and nestle them deep enough so that they are covered by liquid. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
5. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-size pieces using 2 forks or your hands. Add the chicken back to the stew along with the kale. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until kale is just wilted. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Ladle over bowls of egg noodles, polenta, or rice and serve with chopped fresh parsley and crushed red pepper.

Notes

To prepare this on the stove top, follow all of the directions above, but use a large pot or dutch oven instead of the slow cooker. Cook over low heat and reduce cooking time for chicken to 1 1/2- 2 hours and stir occasionally.

adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution