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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craig says
This stew has great flavor, I too added extra veggies. Not too sure about the chicken though, it turned out rubbery, wasn't bad but might do sausage or beef next time, overall I would make it again.
Denise says
Hi Craig! Thanks for reporting back 🙂 When you say rubbery, do you mean that the chicken was overcooked or undercooked? I found it to be falling-apart tender, but maybe there are differences between our slow cookers?
Courtney Schell says
I have this in my slow cooker now. I prepared it while watching my 6 feet of snow out my window. Yuck! I'm sure this will be perfect for this cold day. I'm also making homemade bread in my bread maker. Can't wait for dinner! Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Courtney...6 feet of snow?! That's insane! Glad you are safe inside with a big bowl of Tuscan chicken stew 🙂 Hope you enjoyed it!
Rebecca says
actually made this for dinner today. Pretty good recipe. I doubled the carrots and there still weren't enough. Also, as its middle of winter in NE, tomatoes not great quality. Might be better to use petite diced fire roasted can of tomatoes. I used homemade chicken broth which helped add needed flavor. Also, needed AT LEAST 6 hours on low. My potatoes needed an extra hour to soften up. I can not have bread, so served over bed of risotto to make it a little more filling.
Denise says
Thanks for the feedback, Rebecca! The first time I made the recipe, I used canned diced tomatoes, and the flavors were a little dull, which is why I switched to fresh. Also, I'm wondering if there are differences in cook time between brands of slow cookers, because after 5 hours on low, my potatoes were perfect! I love hearing all the changes people make when they use a recipe, so thank-you!
Ali says
Any idea how it would affect the cooking time if I used bone-in chicken thighs and put them in whole?
Denise says
Hi Ali, I don't think the cooking time will be affected in anyway. You may need to spoon off some fat from the stew? I've never used bone in for this recipe in particular, but a reader used bone-in thighs for my Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Stew and she said it turned out great.
Aubrey says
If I were to cut this recipe in half, how would the cooking time change?? Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Aubrey, I've never made a half-batch before, and I'm not sure it's recommended to cook such a small quantity in a slow cooker; mine says to make sure it is more than half full. I'm unsure of the cooking time for a half batch. You could try to adapt it for stovetop, I believe I have written out instructions for this in a previous comment. The resulting stew will be more liquidy, so you may wish to reduce the amount of stock used. I hope this helps! Good luck!
Tracy Kerdman says
Hi! Thanks for this recipe 🙂
I just made this stew this evening and unfortunately something went horribly wrong! I ended up with a consistency that had clumps in it, I assume it was chicken fat. Also the veggies were still crunchy and not in a good way.
I would love your opinion on what may have gone wrong. I made some changes so I assume that's where the answer lies. I used chicken cubes for kabobs (about 2 lbs.) and I didn't have small potatoes so I cut up about 2 medium potatoes. I also used a can (28 oz) of diced tomatoes with only some of the juice drained out. I wonder if my low setting is too low? It cooked on low for about 5 hours, and it still didn't seem cooked.
Anyway, I really want to try again because I think this is a promising recipe! I think next time I will not stray from the recipe. I think the chicken is what did me in. Thanks is advance!
Tracy
Denise says
Hi Tracy!
I am still a bit of a crock-pot rookie, so I will try my best to figure out what went wrong.
First, the chicken: did it have a lot of fat on it? I have tried bone-in or skin on chicken in the crockpot in the past, and had a similar problem to what you've described. Fat globules that were really unappetizing! I now use boneless skinless chicken thighs and if there is excess fat, I trim it, and haven't had the problem since. I have read that some people will let their stew/soup cool down so that they can scoop off the fat, but that sounds like a pain in the butt to me!
Secondly the veggies: were they immersed in the liquid? I am surprised they weren't cooked through, my veggies were very tender after 5 hours on low, even if they weren't immersed they still should have steamed.
Do you have a new slow cooker or an old one? I have read that the old slow cookers actually cook much closer to the time listed on the setting. I have a new crockpot that seems to cook quite fast (much to my dismay!! I wish I could cook chicken for 8 hours, that would be a do-able week-day dinner). I would suggest increasing the cook time on your slow cooker if you try it again.
The tomatoes were definitely not a problem because I actually started off with a drained can of diced tomatoes when testing the recipe (with no problems) and switched to fresh. And I don't think the potatoes were a problem, either.
I hope my suggestions help you out, and I hope you try it again, although I understand if you don't. Have a great week-end!
Tracy Kerdman says
Thank you for taking the time to get back to me!
The chicken did have fat on it, but it was little so I didn't think it would be a problem. I'll make sure to trim the chicken more thoroughly next time. My slow cooker is pretty new, I've only used it about five or so times. Maybe I'm not familiar enough with it's temperatures yet.
I think some veggies were poking out at the top. I'll make sure they're more submerged next time. Thanks again for your advice, I'll let you know if I try again!
Happy New Year!
Tracy
maria liberatore says
Denise, pls post more comments on how the stew actually taste vs how it looks or how much your fans love slow cookers which is obvious since they are reading your recipes. Anyone can take an appetizing photo, but what are the reactions of those who made it? Furthermore, cooks may add suggestions, alternatives, or hints that would be of interest to your readers. Thanx.
Denise says
Hi Maria, thanks for the comments. I approve all comments on my site, whether good/bad, and whether or not they are people commenting on how the food looks. I can't post more comments, since I approve everything! Feel free to write up your review of the recipe for other people to read!
Aletta says
I made it in my Lodge cast iron pot and boy, that fennel flavor pops! Great for a winter Sunday soup/stew day. And it's gluten-free! Thanks for a winner.
Denise says
Aletta, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for reporting back 🙂
Aletta says
BTW, I made this a 2nd time in my slow cooker and added 1# sweet Italian sausage (browned) to the mix and it added that extra flavor.
Denise says
Ooh, that sounds delicious, Aletta! Will have to give it a try, I love adding Italian sausage to soups and stews, it gives so much flavor!
Tricia says
This looks super yummy. Is it possible to use white meat chicken? Would I simply use boneless breasts? Or, better to leave meat on the bone and pull off once done? Thanks! You've inspired me to pull out my slow cooker again 🙂
Denise says
Hi Tricia,
Hmm...I haven't had great luck with chicken breasts in the slow cooker...for me they seem to either overcook and dry out, or completely disintegrate. I would recommend taking the time to brown them first in a frying pan with some olive oil, this should help maintain their integrity and prevent them from disintegrating. Let me know if you try it, and how it turns out!
maria liberatore says
Great idea. Think it will add additional flavor especially if brown in olive oil and garlic. Yum.
Denise says
Absolutely, Maria! I skipped the browning step for the sake of a fast/easy meal, but for sure it would add even more flavor!
Meryl says
I made this yesterday, and it's absolutely delicious! I will definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Denise says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Meryl! Thanks so much for reporting back 🙂
Denise says
Hi Nikki! My mom tells me her recipe is actually Mario Batali's...I think this one here http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/chicken-hunter-style-pollo-alla-cacciatora-recipe.html
But if you do want to try this recipe, I would try browning the chicken, removing it, then cooking the onions, add the wine to deglaze the pan a bit, then add all the ingredients and simmer for...30 minutes or so? I'm kind of guessing here, and you might need extra wine, stock and seasoning. Good luck and let me know if you make it and how it turns out!
Lauren says
Looks awesome!! Any idea if this would freeze well?
Denise says
Hi Lauren! It does freeze well, however I recommend gently reheating it, as the chicken and veggies are quite tender and may start falling apart if they are cooked too vigorously. Hope you enjoy it!
april says
How would you suggest 'gently' reheating it? On the stove top? I made this last week and have been thinking about it ever since:)
Denise says
I'm so glad you liked it April 🙂 I would reheat it on a lower setting, I had a problem when I tried to rapidly reheat it and it came to a vigorous boil and all of the chicken fell apart 🙁 Good luck!
Dani says
These pictures are FABULOUS. I love crockpots and stews in general, but the pictures had me scrolling down to see how I could recreate this masterpiece. I'm a little too curious in the kitchen and a bit of an inventor myself, so truth be told I rarely make a recipe exactly like it says no matter how good it looks...I've always got to tweak something here or there just to make it my own. I used chicken breast instead of thighs, I upped the chicken broth and white wine just a bit and added about a half cup of lentils, in addition to the fennel I also threw in a few sprigs of fresh thyme and chopped up some fresh rosemary to put in the stew while it cooks (instead of just before serving), and I added a couple pinches of cayenne pepper. I just put it in the crockpot, will let you know how it turns out!
I'm really excited to try it with my favorite homemade no-knead bread recipe that I've got rising as we speak: http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html
Denise says
Your changes sound delicious, Dani! Hope you enjoy the stew!
Dani says
It was SO good. Because of the lentils I didn't need to thicken with cornstarch. I also topped it with shredded parmesan cheese...perfect! It was just what my sore throat on that chilly evening needed 🙂
Denise says
Yay! So glad you liked it, Dani! Hope that sore throat goes away!
Denise says
...And thanks for such wonderful words about my photos! Made my day 🙂 I will have to try your no-knead bread. Love yeasted bread but not keen on that kneading step!
Haley says
Hi!
Just curious what white wine works best (that you have found)...obviously sweet is bad...but any suggestions would be great!
Thanks!
Denise says
Hi Haley, I have to admit that I just used cheap cooking wine. I would probably go with a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, based on this article: http://www.thekitchn.com/5-white-wines-for-cooking-202573
Hope this helps!
Katie Berr says
Is there a way to make this recipe without a slow cooker?
Denise says
Hi Katie! Although I haven't tried it with this specific recipe, I would say you could probably try cooking the onions in some olive oil, remove from the pan, then brown the chicken, add the wine to deglaze the pan, then add back the onions and all the other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes or so until the veggies are cooked through and you get the consistency you'd like for the stew {you can always ad a bit more cornstarch if you'd like it thicker}. I haven't tried this, but it would likely work! Good luck and let me know if you try it!
Amanda says
I just put this all in the crock pot! I amsoexcited to try it! Seems like a great fall-football sunday type of dinner.my boyfriend is excited to try it as well!
The only thing I was confused about, is the instructions never said when to put the potatoes into the crock pot? I put them in anyways but I'm not sure if I am supposed to?
Denise says
Hi Amanda! Oops, yes, the potatoes definitely go in the crock pot! I will ammend the recipe ASAP, thanks for letting me know 🙂 Hope you like the stew!
Anni says
Trying this tonight - it feels like fall outside and was wonderful to walk in the door after a late afternoon walk to the yummy smells of dinner! Thanks for the recipe!
Denise says
Hey Anni! I hope you liked it! I agree, it is just the best to walk home to a house filled with the smells of dinner 🙂
Judy says
Oh my! This looks like what I have been looking for. Something that will please the whole family. Praying for leftovers when I make it. I think Beer Bread sounds like it would go good with it. Thanks for sharing.
Denise says
Hey Judy! Great idea, beer bread would be perfect. Hope you like it!
Nicole says
oh man I just made this and ate it and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing. And the bread just makes it!
Denise says
Oh, yay! So glad you liked it, Nicole! It's totally about that big chunk of bread for dipping, isn't it 🙂
Suzanne @ Flour Arrangements says
I am also totally new to the slow cooker thing. I love the idea of it, but I just don't have that many recipes. Totally making this one. Can't wait to see what else you serve up!
Denise says
Thanks, Suzanne!