Chicken Stew
The key to this stew's rich flavor is using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs - searing them in bacon fat creates a deeply savory base, and the bones release collagen during simmering, which naturally thickens the gravy.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- ~4 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- ~2 1/4 cups chunked carrots
- ~3 cups chopped yellow onion
- ~1 1/2 cups sliced celery
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth divided
- 2 cups dry white wine divided
- 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tsp dried sage
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- ~2 1/2 cups baby gold potatoes quartered
- ~3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley optional
Method
- Cook bacon in Dutch oven until crispy; remove and reserve fat.
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper; sear in bacon fat 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Cook carrots, celery, onion in same pot 3 minutes until softened.
- Add tomato paste and garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- Add 1 1/2 cups each broth and wine, Worcestershire, bay leaves. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Melt butter, stir in flour to make paste.
- Gradually whisk in remaining broth, thyme, sage, paprika.
- Add potatoes and chicken. Simmer 20 minutes until chicken cooked.
- Remove chicken; continue simmering until potatoes tender.
- Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones.
- Return chicken to pot with remaining wine and bacon.
- Adjust seasoning and garnish with parsley.
Notes
Use bone-in thighs for best flavor. Can be made ahead and reheated.