Description
This hearty Chicken Stew (Casserole) combines tender boneless chicken thighs, smoky bacon, fresh vegetables, and a rich tomato and red wine sauce. Simmered slowly in a heavy-based casserole pot, this comforting dish is perfect for a satisfying meal served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- 150g/5oz bacon, chopped
- 750g/1.5lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm / 1.25″ pieces
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbsp)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced 1cm / 1/3″ thick
- 2 celery stalks, sliced 1cm / 1/3″ thick
- 350g/12oz baby potatoes, halved
- 200g/6oz mushrooms, halved (large quartered)
- 150g/5oz green beans, trimmed and halved
Liquids and Sauces
- 1.5 cups (375ml) red wine (dry, full bodied; e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
- 3 cups (750ml) beef stock/broth, low sodium (or chicken broth)
- 400g/14oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Seasonings and Others
- 0.5 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp flour
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat and Brown Bacon: Place olive oil and chopped bacon in a large heavy-based casserole pot over high heat. Cook until the oil is heated and the bacon releases some fat.
- Brown Chicken: Add the pieces of chicken thighs to the pot, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken and bacon are browned, ensuring the chicken develops a nice crust.
- Sauté Garlic and Onion: Add the minced garlic and sliced onion to the pot and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Celery and Carrots: Stir in the sliced celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes to slightly soften them.
- Deglaze with Red Wine: Pour in the red wine and allow it to simmer rapidly for 2 minutes until the alcoholic smell dissipates and the liquid reduces slightly.
- Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir continuously until fully incorporated to help thicken the stew.
- Add Broth Gradually: Slowly pour half of the beef broth into the pot while stirring to prevent lumps, then add the remaining broth and mix well.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasonings: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, bay leaves, additional salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add Potatoes and Simmer: Add the halved baby potatoes to the pot. Cover with a lid and simmer the stew gently for 30 minutes until the potatoes start to soften and flavors meld.
- Add Mushrooms and Green Beans: Remove the lid and stir in the mushrooms and green beans. Continue simmering uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to thicken the sauce and cook the vegetables through.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves, serve the stew hot, optionally sprinkled with fresh parsley, paired with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Keep the lid off during the last 10 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken properly.
- Boneless chicken thighs are recommended for juiciness; if using chicken breast, add it in the last 5 minutes to avoid drying out.
- Bone-in chicken pieces can be used but require longer simmering; for crispy skin, consider a slow-cooked oven method instead.
- Dry, full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot add excellent flavor; Guinness or stout beer also works well as a substitute.
- For a non-alcoholic version, brown the bacon, mushrooms, and chicken separately to build flavor, adding them back into the stew as per recipe.
- Beef broth gives a deeper color and flavor, but chicken broth is an acceptable substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (~350g)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
