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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Slow cooker chicken stew with tender, fall-apart shredded chicken and chunky potatoes, carrots, and celery in a thickened, golden gravy. Cook on Low for 6–8 hours for deep flavor, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry and finish on High for a silky consistency.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs
Baby potatoes
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halved
Carrots
  • 3 carrots Thick rounds
Celery
  • 3 celery Sliced stalks
Onion
  • 1 onion Diced
Garlic
  • 4 garlic Minced cloves
Chicken broth
  • 2 cup chicken broth
Cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
Tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
Bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
Cornstarch slurry
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch To thicken
Water for slurry
  • 3 tbsp water To thin cornstarch
Fresh parsley
  • fresh parsley For serving
Salt
  • salt To taste
Black pepper
  • black pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Add the baby potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Nestle the bone-in chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.
  3. Add the minced garlic, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and the bay leaf over the chicken.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours, or on High for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart.
Shred and thicken
  1. Transfer the chicken to a plate, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat.
  2. Remove the bay leaf from the stew, then stir the cornstarch slurry into the liquid.
  3. Cook on High for 20 minutes, until the stew thickens to a gravy-like consistency.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

For best texture, shred the chicken after it’s cooked, then return it once the stew has thickened so it stays tender. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months, then reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed. For a lighter option, swap the cream of chicken soup for a reduced-fat version to keep the stew creamy with less saturated fat.