Slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew is healthy, hearty, and so easy to prepare in the crockpot! Rosemary, fennel seeds and balsamic vinegar give this stew a ton of flavor.
When it comes to comfort food, stew is pretty much at the top of my list...I just want to cozy up with a bowl of Slow Cooker African Peanut Stew, Slow Cooker Spanish Chicken Stew, or this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew! Perfect to warm you up, and excellent for bread dunking.
This Tuscan chicken stew slow cooker recipe is one of the most popular recipes on Sweet Peas and Saffron because of the amazing flavor you can get for very little effort!
It's perfect for busy weeknights, lazy Sundays, or anyone who wants to stock the freezer for easy meals.
Reasons you'll ♡ this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew
- it's hearty, healthy and delicious
- no sautéing means you can get it cooking quickly and it requires very little work!
- it works great for meal prep!
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Chicken Stew Ingredients
For this Tuscan chicken stew, you'll need:
- boneless skinless chicken thighs- I love using thighs as they stay nice and juicy in the slow cooker, however you could swap for chicken breasts and reduce the cook time to 3-4 hours.
- carrots, celery and onion- chopped
- tomatoes- swap for a can of diced tomatoes in a pinch
- potatoes- I recommend baby potatoes, halved
- fennel seeds- crush them with the side of a knife before adding to the stew
- rosemary- fresh if possible
- stock- I used homemade bone broth but regular chicken stock works great
- balsamic vinegar- to add a tangy aftertaste
- cornstarch- to thicken; you may also use arrowroot starch
Can I cook this in the Instant Pot?
Yes, you absolutely can! Find the directions in this Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Stew post.
How do you thicken crockpot chicken stew?
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Thickening your stew is optional, but it really helps give it that comfort food texture...velvety and smooth and just a little more substantial than an un-thickened stew. It also helps the delicious broth stick to the chicken, bringing it even more flavor.
For this crockpot chicken stew, I simply mixed a bit of cornstarch with some water, add it to the pot 30 minutes before serving, and turn up the temperature to high. You can also use arrowroot starch.
Ingredient swaps
This Tuscan chicken stew is a great as written but you can totally change it up depending on what you have on hand in your fridge or pantry!
- chicken thighs- chicken breasts may be used (adjust the cook time to 3-4 hours on low), readers Karen and Aletta added browned Italian sausage, and reader Dani added ½ a cup of lentils
- potatoes- sweet potatoes would go well with the flavors in this stew (although they may end up quite soft by the end of the cook time). You could also leave the potatoes out and increase the other veggies to make up for them.
- fennel- fresh tarragon may be a good alternative (add at the end of the cook time). Fresh thyme is great in this stew with the rosemary.
- other add ins- reader Yae added 1 teaspoon of turmeric, and I personally think adding in some roasted garlic would be fantastic!
Meal prep tips
This is the perfect recipe to add into your meal prep routine! You can meal prep it in two different ways:
- cook ahead and reheat- cook a big batch of this stew on the weekend and reheat for easy lunches or dinners.
- store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months
- I like storing the cooked stew in a 2 cup glass meal prep containers or a meal mug
- assemble ahead but don't cook- as a crockpot freezer meal (find 34 more crockpot freezer meals here!)
- combine all ingredients in a large freezer bag, a large meal prep container or a reusable silicone bag
- freeze for up to 3 months
- when you are ready to cook, thaw completely and cook as directed
find my favorite meal prep containers & freezer equipment in my shop!
More slow cooker chicken recipes
- Crockpot Whole Chicken and Veggies
- Thai Slow Cooker Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
- 7 No Sautee Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see how easy this recipe is to prep! Watch this 1-minute video! You can find more recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
This recipe was originally posted in 2014. It has been republished with fresh photos, tips and a new video in 2020.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless chicken thighs
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks of celery sliced
- 1 small-medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 12 baby potatoes left whole or cut in half
- 1 ¾ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional!
- 2 tablespoon white wine
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed with side of knife
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Just before serving:
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
To serve
- chopped parsley
- bread
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Toss chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, wine, fennel seeds, salt and rosemary into the slow cooker.
- Cook on the lowest setting for 4-6 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of cook time, combine the corn starch with the water and mix until no lumps remain and add to the slow cooker along with the balsamic vinegar.
- Turn heat to high, and cook for 30 additional minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a clean bowl and shred with two forks or an electric hand mixer. Return to the stew and mix in.
- Remove the rosemary and serve.
To assemble ahead and freeze:
- In a heavy-duty gallon sized freezer bag, combine all ingredients except the water/cornstarch/balsamic vinegar. **Make sure to leave the baby potatoes whole**
- Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely before cooking as directed above.
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Nutrition Information
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Leslie F. says
Do the chicken pieces need to be on the bottom of the crock pot? I put mine on the top for this and another recipe because it called for removing and shredding it. However, both times, the chicken did not cook properly. I'm wondering if I should be placing the chicken at the bottom of the crock pot and putting everything else on top to get it to cook properly.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Leslie, it sounds like you have a cool slow cooker, and that you might benefit from putting your chicken closest to the heat (the bottom and back of the slow cooker). You could also experiment by using a higher setting on your slow cooker. Hope this helps and that you enjoy the stew 🙂
Rhonda says
Hi I made this today with an addition and a substitution. I added mushrooms because I had some that needed to be used up and I substituted rutabaga for the potato’s because my hubby is on an anti inflammatory diet and white potatoes are a no no. I also substituted chicken breasts instead of thighs. I also used tapioca flour instead of corn starch It was delicious. I enjoyed it with a glass of the wine I used for the recipe
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Rhonda, thanks for sharing your substitutions, and for leaving a rating and review! Sounds delicious.
Diane says
Did you make an error in the mg of cholesterol? That number does not sound right. I am making this now but my husband who had a recent heart attack needs all low cholesterol. The only fat is the chicken and it still should not be that high.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Diane, I just double-checked the recipe card and updated it (a few of the ingredients were missing in the nutrition calculations). I hope this helps! Thank you for pointing this out.
Sheri says
Since I’ve been making your recipe for a few years, and it’s been a staple in our house, thought I should send a comment and let you know how much we love this dish! It’s easy, delicious, full of flavor and very nutritious. I’m about to start another batch, so thought I’d let you know before I get started!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Sheri! I'm so happy to hear how much you love the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to report back, I really appreciate it!
Lee says
Tried this today for the first time, it's been in the slow cooker 6 and half hours already (I'm using breast) and the potatoes are still hard and not cooked!?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Lee! After 6 hours in the slow cooker, your potatoes should definitely be soft, however all slow cookers cook differently. You may want to remove them and microwave them to speed things up. Sorry about that, after 6 hours in my slow cooker, they are always tender.
Ann says
Is the 30 minutes on high at the end in addition to the 4-6 hours of cooking on low? I think so from the instruction that says to cook on high for an additional 30 minutes after adding the water/corn starch/balsamic. But the total prep time for the recipe says 20 mins of prep and 6 hours of cooking. Thanks!
Denise says
Hi Ann! I would do it 30 minutes before the end of the cook time. I will adjust the recipe card to be more clear. Hope you enjoy!
Miraitowa says
Hi Denise, I made this last night and it was amazing.
Philip Eisenwasser says
does the time matter im ending up going longer then 6 hours
Denise says
Hi Philip! 6 hours should be OK, but I wouldn't go much longer than that or your chicken will start to fall apart. Hope you enjoy!