Can you cook raw chicken with vegetables in slow cooker

Cozy up with this chunky, hearty one pot Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew. Learn what vegetables, herbs and spices go well in chicken stew, and how to make a healthy chicken stew. Your choice of herbs and spices will transform this simple dish into a new global dish each time you make it.

I love this time of year with all the leaves turning their glorious autumn colors. As the weather turns cooler, cozy meals like this Slow Cooker Smoky Chicken Vegetable Stew scented with warm herbs … (rosemary, thyme and sage in this case) start to appear on our menu.

Slow cooked meals free me up to run errands and take care of household chores. Almost anything cooking away slowly in the kitchen makes it smell amazing and cozy.

Something I’ve been doing more of lately is repurposing sauces from other meals and turning them into new dishes. To this stew, I added some of the Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce I made the other day and a touch of Spanish smoked paprika. Sauces from leftover meals can often be used as braising liquids or even used in soups. So, don’t throw away the delicious leftover sauces you create.

What Vegetables Go Well In Chicken Stew

Root vegetables are wonderful for slow cooked stews. Here, I’ve used simply potatoes and carrots from the farmer’s market, but you can add butternut squash/winter squash, sweet potatoes/yams, turnips, rutabaga or parsnips if you like. Mushrooms and tomatoes would also be nice, adding extra umami flavors.

What Seasoning and Spices Go In Chicken Stew

Choose a global theme and use herb and spice blends that match the flavor profile.

• Mediterranean – rosemary, thyme and sage, Herbs de Provence, Fines Herbes, Italian seasoning mix
• Indian – curry powder,  garam masala, cilantro (add at the end)
• Thai – red, yellow or green curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice (add at the end)
• Chinese – five spice powder, dried shitake mushrooms (and their soaking liquid), garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil
• Middle Eastern – cumin, coriander, allspice, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg (or try baharat, a Middle Eastern spice blend)
• Caribbean – allspice, ginger, thyme, cayenne, thyme
• Cajun – Cajun seasoning, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, tomatoes

What Makes A Healthy Chicken Stew?

What makes this chicken vegetable stew healthy? I use skinless, boneless chicken, only one tablespoon of olive oil, low sodium broth and lots of vegetables. You can serve this slow cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew on its own, or with some crusty whole grain bread. If you like a thicker gravy, use a  little mixture of cornstarch and cold water, and stir in at the end.

Here’s a video that shows how easy this recipe is to make:

This version of Chicken Vegetable Stew uses a classic combination of thyme, sage and rosemary, but feel free choose your favorite spice and herb blends.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours

Servings 4

Calories 335 kcal

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast or thighs
• 1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 carrots coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks coarsely chopped
• 10 ounces fresh mushrooms finely chopped (I used the food processor)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 potatoes cut up
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
• 3 leaves fresh sage
• 1 small fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 1/2 cups Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce or plain tomato sauce
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1. Season chicken with paprika, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet. Place chicken in pan and brown on both sides. Remove to slow cooker. Add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are fragrant and any liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Scoop into slow cooker. Add potatoes, herbs, Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce, and chicken broth to slow cooker and toss everything gently. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

You can substitute 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes for the Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce if you like. If you do, add a few chopped garlic cloves to the vegetables when sauteing.

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 335 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 990mg43%

Potassium 1920mg55%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 8165IU163%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 95mg10%

Iron 7.2mg40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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