• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • RECIPES
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Chicken Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Chicken Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • About
    • FAQs/Help
    • Shop
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Small Crock Pots Recipes

    Crock Pot Chicken Stew

    Jan 23, 2023 · Modified: Feb 11, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 69 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4 from 160 votes

    The perfect old-fashioned Crock Pot Chicken Stew recipe packed with tender chicken, potatoes, and lots of vegetables in a tasty broth. With only 10 minutes of prep time, you will come home to a healthy dinner. This smaller recipe is ideal for a small household or is quickly doubled to full size.

    ladle of chicken stew-Edit
    Jump To:
    • Why you should try this recipe
    • 🐓Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳How to Make Chicken Stew
    • Tips
    • ⬇️How to make this a "for two" recipe
    • ❓FAQs
    • Leftovers—storage and reheating
    • 📖Soup Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Why you should try this recipe

    • Make your life easier with this classic old-fashioned comfort food that will warm you to the bone on a cool night.
    • Fits low-fat and low-calorie diets. And is relatively low in sodium.
    • This is an easy "dump and go" chicken stew recipe with only 10 minutes of prep time. Then let the crock pot do the work so you can come home to a great dinner.
    • Easy to increase the flavor with the optional diced tomatoes and your choice of spices.
    • Mades only 4 large servings in a 3 ½ quart or larger crock pot. Easy to increase or decrease to fit your needs.

    This recipe is a smaller, simplified version and modification of a slow cooker recipe that appears almost identically on multiple recipe sites. Loaded with chicken and veggies, it is delicious and easy to make with these simple step-by-step photo instructions.

    🐓Ingredients

    • Chicken—Skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
    • Potatoes, garlic, and onion
    • Carrots, celery, mushrooms—optional
    • Frozen corn and peas
    • Tomatoes—diced, optional
    • Chicken broth
    • Salt and black pepper
    • Optional spices—poultry seasoning, celery seed, thyme
    • Corn starch—Optional for thickening

    👨‍🍳How to Make Chicken Stew

    1. Prepare onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes.
    2. Clean, trim, and cube chicken breasts
    3. Add all the ingredients except peas to the crock pot.
    4. Cook on low for 8 hours.
    5. Add the peas to the crock pot the 30 minutes of cooking.
    6. Cook until chicken is at least 165° and vegetables are tender.

    Tips

    • Skinless boneless chicken breast works great in a chicken stew, but chicken thighs would also be an excellent choice.
    • The amount of chicken can vary. 1 to 1 ½ pound range is acceptable. This will be about 2 chicken breasts.
    • This recipe is for a 3.5-4 quarts crock pot, or use 6.5 quarts or larger for a double batch. You can use a large crock pot for a small recipe, but it may cook a bit faster.
    • You will need about 2 cups or a bit more potatoes. 1 medium Russet potato will be about a cup. Any potatoes will do as long as the size is correct for cooking.
    • Too much onion can ruin a stew. The other vegetables have lots of leeways, but not onions. You need ¾ to 1 cup of chopped onion. A medium onion will be about 1 cup (a small is ¾ cup and a large is about 1 ½ cups).
    • Cook until the chicken is tender and 165° and the potatoes and carrots are tender.

    ⬇️How to make this a "for two" recipe

    This is a very easy recipe to cut in half.

    • The full recipe makes about 8 to 10 cups of 4-5 servings.
    • Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to half.
    • Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
    • The half recipe will fit in a 2-quart crock pot.
    • Cook for the same amount of time.

    ❓FAQs

    What makes stew different from soups?

    All stews have potatoes of some type. After all, that is what differentiates stews from soups.

    Can I use rotisserie chicken for chicken stew?

    Yes, you add the chicken near the end of cooking when the vegetables are cooked. A pound of chicken will be about 3 cups of shredded pre-cooked chicken.

    How to thicken a stew in a crock pot?

    I suggest a cornstarch slurry of a tablespoon of cornstarch in a tablespoon of cold water for the last 30 minutes of cooking when you add the peas. Add more if you want thicker.

    Other options are using less broth in the recipe or making a roux and adding that late in cooking. Potato flakes can also be added.

    Leftovers—storage and reheating

    Store leftover chicken stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days or freezer for 3 months.

    To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator first if frozen. Then reheat on the stovetop in a saucepan over medium heat is preferred, but the microwave will work but may affect the chicken texture.

    📖Soup Recipes

    Thick Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup

    Chicken Noodle Soup

    Smaller Crock Pot Beef Stew

    Our Best Soups

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Crock Pot Recipes, Featured | Crock Pot Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Mini Crock Pot Recipes, Small Crock Pots Recipes, Soup Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    NOTE: Images are for a double batch and are from several cookings, so they may not match.

    chopped onion with potatoes and carrots on black board.

    Prepare vegetables—chop 1 medium onion, 2-3 peeled carrots, and 1-2 ribs of celery. Next, about 2 cups of potatoes are peeled and cut into ¾ to 1-inch cubes—about 2 medium potatoes. Optional - 4 oz. mushrooms cleaned and halved.

    trimmed and chopped chicken on red board

    Clean, trim, and cube 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts—about 1 to 1 ½ pounds.

    adding raw chicken chunks to the ctock pot.

    Add the chicken, prepared veggies, ½ cup frozen corn, 14 oz of chicken broth, 1-2 crushed or minced cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon celery seed, ¼ to ½ teaspoon thyme(optional), ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and optionally on ½ cup of diced tomatoes.

    wide view of chicken stew on a ladle.

    Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add peas 30 minutes before the end of cooking. Also, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water if you want a thicker stew. If the vegetables are not fully tender at the end of cooking, go a bit longer.

    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    Recipe

    ladle of chicken stew-Edit

    Crock Pot Chicken Stew

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    The perfect old-fashioned chicken stew recipe packed with tender chicken, potatoes, and lots of vegetables in a tasty broth. With only 10 minutes of prep time, you will come home to a healthy dinner. Scaled for a smaller crockpot but easy to scale to your needs.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4 from 160 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 hours
    Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 4 serving

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 to 1 ½ pounds Skinless boneless chicken breast - about 2– trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 onion - medium – diced
    • 1-2 cloves garlic - crushed or minced
    • 2-3 carrots - pealed and cut into 1 inch slices
    • 1-2 stalks celery - diced
    • 2 cup potatoes - peeled and cut into ¾ to 1 inch cubes
    • 4 oz mushrooms - cleaned and halved-optional
    • ½ cup frozen corn
    • 14 oz chicken broth - low sodium
    • 1 cup drained diced tomatoes - Optional, add if you want a tomato-based stew
    • ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon celery seed - skip if you don't have
    • ¼-1/2 teaspoon dry thyme - to taste. Optional
    • ½ cup frozen peas
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch - optional for thickening-in cold water
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Prepare vegetables—chop 1 medium onion, 2-3 peeled carrots, and 1-2 ribs of celery. Next, about 2 cups of potatoes are peeled and cut into ¾ to 1-inch cubes—about 2 medium potatoes. Optional - 4 oz. mushrooms cleaned and halved.
      chopped onion with potatoes and carrots on black board
    • Clean, trim, and cube 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts—about 1 to 1 ½ pounds.
      trimmed and chopped chicken on red board
    • Add the chicken, prepared veggies, ½ cup frozen corn, 14 oz of chicken broth, 1-2 crushed or minced cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon celery seed, ¼ to ½ teaspoon thyme(optional), ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and optionally on ½ cup of diced tomatoes.
      adding raw chicken chunks to the ctock pot
    • Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add peas 30 minutes before the end of cooking. Also, stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water if you want a thicker stew. If the vegetables are not fully tender at the end of cooking, go a bit longer.
      wide view of chicken stew on a ladle
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips:

    1. This recipe is set for a smaller crock pot of 3 ½ to 4 quarts and 4 servings of about  2 cups each. It is a perfect recipe to double for a full-size crock pot and make 8 servings. You can also cook the smaller amount in the larger crock pot.
    2. Instructions are in the post for a half-size recipe.
    3. The amount of chicken, like most ingredients in many soups and stews, can vary some. 1 to 1 ½ pounds range is fine. Use either breasts or thighs.
    4. Other ingredients like celery, carrots, and potatoes can also vary by the amount you have.
    5. Like most chicken stews, this is a bland recipe. Spice to your taste. Thyme is suggested by most, but we usually leave it out. The optional tomato is a nice addition.
    6. This is a thinner stew. In this recipe, a slurry of cornstarch in cold water.
    7. If the vegetables are not tender at the end of cooking, go a bit longer.
    8. Good refrigerated for 4 days and frozen for 3 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Crock Pot Chicken Stew
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 345.9 Calories from Fat 50
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5.6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1.3g7%
    Trans Fat 0.02g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1.7g
    Cholesterol 108.9mg36%
    Sodium 555.8mg23%
    Potassium 1396.2mg40%
    Carbohydrates 31.3g10%
    Fiber 4.5g18%
    Sugar 4.9g5%
    Protein 43g86%
    Vitamin A 5339.5IU107%
    Vitamin C 20.1mg24%
    Calcium 57.9mg6%
    Iron 2.4mg13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's note: Originally published January 12, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    Lilly running hard in snow

    More Small Crock Pot Recipes

    • crock pot chicken enchiladas on spoon
      Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
    • Collage of small crock pot recipes
      Smaller Crock Pot Recipe Roundup
    • baked ziti on a white plate
      Crock Pot Baked Ziti
    • chicken chili on a spoon
      Healthy White Chicken Chili

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Gail

      May 13, 2022 at 7:03 am

      Hi, you wonderful cook you! I' like to make this on top of the stove or oven. Any suggestions? Also how to thicken.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        May 13, 2022 at 9:05 am

        Hi Gail,
        For stovetop, use a heavy pan like a Dutch oven with a few teaspoons of oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the chicken, when starting to brown (4-5 minutes) then add the veggies and cook another 4-5 minutes. Add the other things except the peas. Decrease to simmer, cover and cook for 45-60 minutes until chicken is 165° and potatoes/carrots are tender. Add the peas the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. If using green beans, they can go in with the potatoes or near the end like peas would.

        To thicken, the tapioca is used but you can make a slurry of flour or cornstarch to thicken instead.

        Dan

    2. Deborah J. Lein

      January 30, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      4 stars
      Easy to make. I added another carrot and celery. Kept the thyme, halved the bay leaf (to one (not my favorite flavor). I find that lemon juice adds the spark that chicken soup or stew needs. (A Williams Sonoma tip). I use fresh or organic but never use reconstituted lemon juice. It leaves a metallic aftertaste in my opinion. For a large crockpot I start with a TBSP. Small crockpot start with 1tsp. And you'll find you won't need more salt.

      Reply
    3. Sara

      January 18, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      hey y'all, its crockin as we speak, one note, if you are like me and over chop veggies etc, add your chicken to the crock pot first, that way its on the bottom near the heat. i added mine last (i was chopping everything while my chicken thawed), and now my chicken is on top. i am anticipating it being tricky to get the top pieces up to temperature.
      Sara Upstate NY

      Reply
      • Sara

        January 18, 2020 at 5:17 pm

        ps, and my crock pot is very full and tough to stir to get chicken towards the bottom.

      • Sandra Pare

        December 10, 2020 at 12:10 pm

        Hi Sara. Late question, but do you remember if you had to cook it longer than normal? and did you cook on high? Thanks!

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        December 10, 2020 at 1:06 pm

        Hi Sandra,

        DrDan here. Welcome to the blog.

        I don't know if you will get an answer. Peolpe seem to almost never reply around here and I missed her last winter.

        I would say her issue is more related to how full a crock pot should be. Crock pots cook more redictabably when filled 1/3 to 2/3 full. If under, it heats and cooks a bit faster. If over 2/3 full and cooking is delayed. And over 75% full is always a problem.

        With a stew, you do want to be sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees and the vegetables are tender.

        Hope that helps some.

        Dan

    4. Justine

      January 05, 2020 at 9:39 am

      5 stars
      Hello, I add some summer savory and poultry seasoning powder to my chicken stew for extra flavor, also add rutabaga but leave out tomato, mushrooms and corn. I don't use anything to thicken it, love it just the way it is, so yummy!!
      Love your recipes by the way!!

      Reply
    5. Peggy waskowiak

      April 15, 2018 at 10:49 pm

      I used a can of cream of chicken soup. It helped to thicken it and added flavor. Add less salt

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 05, 2020 at 11:05 pm

        Is this more like a chunky soup? Would it be served over noodles, with dumplings, or just by itself? I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around what this is exactly. Thanks!

      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        January 05, 2020 at 11:20 pm

        Hi Stephanie,

        Chunky soup is about right but the broth is relatively thin and not something I would put on noodles. It is for eating like a soup. If you thicken it a lot as I discussed in the post, you could use it on noodles but that is not the intent.
        Dan

    6. Kenneth

      January 10, 2018 at 4:44 pm

      I have not made this yet but wanted to thank you for your soup for a week series. I especially like the crockpot options. I am starting to plan for this summers camping in Alaska and when we have electric hook ups I like to put a crockpot on in the morning and then explore for a day and come back to a hot and hearty meal. I add cornbread cooked over the fire and eat very well. I have at least 4 trips of options and counting from your site. I greatly appreciate your efforts.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 11, 2018 at 10:34 am

        Hi Ken,
        Please be sure to taste test this. It is bland and you might want more spice (a guy thing). See the discussion in the post.
        Dan

    7. Samantha Paul

      January 10, 2018 at 1:45 am

      Hello DrDan...!amazing its really nice and these dish looks sooo yummy; delicious, i will make this corck pot chicken in upcoming weekend. Thanks for sharing....!

      Reply
    8. Roxanne

      October 16, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      Thank you for the wonderfully easy and tasty chicken stew! I found it to have a great flavour and found nothing lacking. I did add a few extra carrots and an extra stick of celery. I did use some flour and water to thicken near the end of cooking. Served with some warm biscuits and a comforting meal was enjoyed by all.
      5 star ⭐️ rating definitely deserved!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 17, 2017 at 11:36 pm

        Hi Roxanne,
        It is a little bland but that is what chicken stew is. I always think of this recipe as a starting point to modify.
        I do love it with a good biscuit.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    9. Therese

      March 27, 2017 at 6:13 pm

      Well, I'm trying this recipe for the first time today. So far, after following the recipe exactly, and I put my crockpot on high, after the four hours, the chicken was done, but the veggies, potatoes and carrots especially, were still hard as a rock. So, I took the chicken out after four hours and set aside. I am continuing to cook the veggies on high. Looking like it will take an extra two hours at least. I think I will also add some flour/milk mixture to make it creamy in the end.

      Reply
    10. Sonia Lacy

      May 29, 2016 at 1:28 pm

      Will this recipe fit in a 3 quart oval slow cooker?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 29, 2016 at 5:38 pm

        Not even close. Cut in half.
        DrDan

    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan, and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Join the club
    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Steak, Steak, and More Steak

    • cut ribeye steak on a gray plate
      How to Grill a Ribeye Steak on the Grill
    • filtet mignon with potatoes on a white plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Grilled filet mignon on a white plate
      How to Grill Filet Mignon
    • NY strip steak cut on an orange plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
    • a strip steak with grill marks on a gray plate
      How to Grill Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
    • porterhouse steak with fries on blue plate
      Grilled T-bone Steak and Porterhouse Steak

    Chicken, Chicken, and More Chicken

    • pile of chicken legs on a white plate
      Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
    • Large plage of chicken thighs
      Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • cut baked chicken on white plate
      How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven
    • Grilled Chicken Breasts on a blue plate
      How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
    • grilled chicken drumsticks on a grill
      Grilled Chicken Drumsticks - Quick and Easy
    • grilled chicken thigh with some char
      Grilled Chicken Thighs on a Grill
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan and the Blog
    • Business Questions
    • Comment Policy

    Content

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Recipes Featured in the Videos
    • Guide To Cooking for Two
    • Saved Recipes Collections

    dogs by the pond

    Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2023 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME