Description
This Southern Style Chicken Stew is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy, flavorful broth. Perfect for a cozy family meal, this stew combines simple ingredients like chicken, chicken stock, and a smooth milk and flour mixture to create a rich, satisfying texture. Serve hot with saltine crackers and a dash of hot sauce for a classic Southern experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds (or chicken pieces or breasts)
Broth & Stew Base
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup milk (for slurry)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Simmer the Chicken: Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot and add enough water to cover it completely. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook the chicken until tender, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid to use later in the stew.
- Prepare the Chicken Meat: When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard it. Shred the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces and return the shredded meat to the reserved cooking liquid. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Make and Incorporate the Thickener: In a small bowl or cup, combine the flour, ½ cup milk, and butter to create a slurry. Slowly spoon the slurry into the simmering chicken broth, stirring constantly until fully incorporated and starting to thicken. Then add the remaining 2 cups of whole milk and stir to combine. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning by adding additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the chicken stew into bowls and serve hot. Add a dash of hot sauce for extra heat if desired and accompany with saltine crackers for a traditional Southern touch.
Notes
- If using chicken pieces or breasts instead of a whole chicken, adjust cooking time to ensure chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Reserve the cooking liquid carefully as it enhances the stew’s flavor and consistency.
- The milk and flour slurry is key to achieving the creamy texture typical of Southern chicken stew.
- For a richer flavor, you may brown the chicken briefly before simmering, but this is optional.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the flour with a gluten-free thickener such as cornstarch or rice flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
