Slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew to warm you up on a cold day. Instructions to prepare this chicken stew in the crock pot and a video tutorial so you can’t mess it up! The flavors are enhanced by fennel seeds, rosemary, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
This recipe was updated on 23/10/2017 to include instructions on assembling ahead and freezing.
This slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew recipe is inspired by something my mom cooked for us just after Kai was born. I remember looking at this chicken stew and not thinking much of it. But then we dug in (with huge chunks of bread, completely mandatory!) and…holy yum.
The potatoes and the chicken and rosemary and THE BREAD…just so delicious, soul-warming and not a drop (or a crumb) were left behind.
With that stew as an inspiration, I set out to recreate it in slow cooker form…and this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew was the result!
Reasons to love this slow cooker chicken stew:
- you can make it in your slow cooker or your Instant Pot (NEW: Find the Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Stew recipe now has it’s own post!)
- you can assemble it ahead and freeze it (as a freezer crockpot chicken stew)
- it’s made with clean, wholesome ingredients
- the fennel, rosemary and balsamic vinegar give a deliciously subtle flavor that makes this chicken stew recipe just a little bit different
This crock pot chicken stew recipe couldn’t be any easier to prepare: simply dump your ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
About half an hour before you are ready to serve, you will thicken your stew, and add in a splash of balsamic vinegar.
How do you thicken this Tuscan chicken stew?
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 Tuscan 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.
Ingredient swaps you can make for this chicken stew crock pot recipe
This 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!
- swap the chicken thighs for chicken breasts, and adjust the cook time to 3-5 hours on low
- swap the potatoes for sweet potatoes
- add in some roasted garlic
- swap the balsamic vinegar for red wine
- swap the fennel for some fresh tarragon (add at the end of the cook time)
How to store and serve this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew
Can you believe this slow cooker Tuscan chicken stew actually tastes even better on day 2? It makes for a fabulous lunch the next day.
I love storing this stew in these meal mugs
, because you can re-heat them right in the storage container. So convenient for packing stew in your lunch.
Can you freeze chicken stew? Yes, you can, although with this particular recipe, you are going to need to re-heat gently, ie: don’t bring it to an all-out boil. Heating and stirring gently will keep the chicken and veggies intact.
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped my crock pot chicken stew recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
More slow cooker stews for us!
- This tortilla soup-inspired Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Stew
- Or go this African-inspired Slow Cooker Ethiopian Chicken & Lentil Stew
- Or check out this round up of 19 Healthy Slow Cooker Soups & Stews!
NEW: looking for Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes? Check this post out!
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless chicken thighs fat removed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- 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 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional!
- 2 tablespoon white wine
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed with side of knife
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- a sprig of fresh rosemary {roughly teaspoon chopped}
Just before serving:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Garnish:
- chopped parsley
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Toss chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, wine, fennel seeds and salt into the slow cooker.
- Cook on the lowest setting for 4-6 hours.
- Just before serving, combine the corn starch with the water and mix until no lumps remain.
- Add the water/cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
- Turn heat to high, and cook for 10-30 minutes, until slightly thickened.
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 on low for 5-6 hours (check that potatoes are cooked through).
- Stir in the water, cornstarch and balsamic vinegar, set to high, and cook for 10-30 minutes, until thickened.
Notes
Nutrition
More Slow Cooker Chicken Stew Inspiration:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Stew from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
- Crockpot Butternut Squash, Chicken & Quinoa Soup from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
- Slow Cooker Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken from Immaculate Bites
Nancy Murphy
I should add that it is only about 2 hours into cooking so maybe it will come together later, but i doubt it by the looks of it….
Nancy Murphy
Help, my sauce separated for some reason. i think i followed recipe well. i used chicken breasts and they were skinless, boneless and trimmed. Now it looks thin with pink globules in it….should i rinse and make another sauce for all the ingredients? i am really perplexed.
Denise
Hi Nancy, I’m so sorry but I’ve never heard of this happening? Sometimes things look a little odd when they are cooking but giving them a good stir at the end helps everything come together. How did it turn out in the end?