Using a slow cooker with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a savory broth, it’s a complete meal that practically cooks itself. Perfect for a cozy evening with simple ingredients, this stew is sure to become a weeknight favorite.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2–3 hours on high, 4–5 hours on low. This will depend on your slow cooker.

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp or more cooking oil

3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

3 large carrots, chopped

1 large onion

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lb baby potatoes , halved (quarter large ones)

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

3 cups chicken broth, low sodium

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup vegetable of choice, or none at all

3 tbsp flour + 1/2 chicken broth

What to do:

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides until light and golden. Remove from pot. (Do in 2 batches if pot not big enough). Once done chop in larger size pieces.

To the same skillet, add wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits into the liquid. Cook for 1 minute until liquid reduced to half. Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic; cook until tender, 3-4 minutes; add to the slow cooker. Add potatoes, parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste to slow cooker. Pour broth over top, add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and vegetable of choice; gently stir. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, 4-5 hours or on high, 2-3 hours.

To thicken a stew, mix flour and chicken stock until smooth and stir it in. Cook covered for about 30 minutes until thickened. To thin the stew, add more broth or stock.