17 Warming Chicken Stew Recipes

By Bridget Hallinan
Updated September 13, 2019
We have chicken stew filed under our favorite “sitck-to-your-ribs” recipes—it’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, and it’s incredibly versatile, too. In this roundup, we pay homage to some of our favorite recipes, from Gabriel Rucker’s chicken stew with shiitake and lemongrass to Grace Parisi’s incredibly creamy chicken goulash with moist biscuit dumplings. When the weather starts to get cold, you’ll be glad to have a hot bowl ready to eat.
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Mayan Pepita-Chicken Stew

Credit: Greg DuPree
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This rustic chicken stew is seasoned with a carefully toasted mix of seeds and spices, which are ground into a coarse paste with roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. Stirred into the stew toward the end of the cooking process, the paste both thickens and seasons this warming fall dish.

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Spicy Coconut Chicken Stew with Corn

Credit: Abby Hocking / Food & Wine
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This sweet and spicy coconut milk–based stew gets lots of bright flavor from spinach, basil, chiles and lime juice.

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Simplest Chicken-and-Leek Stew

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Before cooking the chicken for his lovely stew, Jamie Oliver lightly coats the pieces in flour. Not only does that help the meat brown, it also thickens the tangy mustard sauce.

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Slow Cooker Ethiopian-Spiced Chicken and Black Lentil Stew

Credit: © Sarah Bolla
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In this intensely comforting spiced chicken and black lentil stew, bold ingredients like fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine simmer slowly with an Ethiopian spice blend called Berbere. The berbere spice blend can be substituted with an equal amount of Garam Masala for a very similar flavor profile in this dish.

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Chicken Goulash with Biscuit Dumplings

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Creamy chicken stew and biscuits baked together is the ideal meal in a pot. Grace Parisi’s version is unforgettable: The gravy is boldly spiced, and the biscuits are unbelievably moist and tender thanks to chicken stock and sour cream in the batter.

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Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde

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There are many variations on pozole, a traditional hominy-based Mexican stew closely associated with the Pacific-coast state of Guerrero. Anya von Bremzen's version, a green pozole, derives much of its flavor from tangy ingredients like tomatillos, cilantro and green chiles.

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Chicken and Barley Stew with Dill and Lemon

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This one-pot dinner from Gail Simmons is an enriched take on classic chicken soup with rice; at once flavorful, hearty and comforting.

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Thai Chicken Stew with Potato-Chive Dumplings

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Pino Maffeo serves his vibrant, spicy, warming stew with gai lan (Chinese broccoli), and sautéed garlic chives stud his plump potato dumplings. However, you can substitute baby bok choy, an easy-to-find Chinese green, for the gai lan, and use regular chives instead of garlic chives.

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Turmeric Chicken Stew

Credit: Abby Hocking / Food & Wine
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In this version of chicken stew from Paige McCurdy-Flynn, hominy takes place of noodles, and add fresh turmeric and lime juice add an irresistible deep flavor.  If you can’t find fresh turmeric, 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric can be substituted.

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Chicken and Peanut Stew

Credit: © EARL CARTER
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Jacques Pépin created this hearty stew with ingredients he found at the Livingstone Farmers' Market.

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Mediterranean-Style Chicken and Bean Stew

Credit: © JAMES BAIGRIE
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This stew is flavored with rosemary, garlic, and dried red chile.

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Chicken Stew with Chile

Credit: © MAURA MCEVOY
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Ecuadorans typically make this homey dish with a fermented corn drink called chicha. Although chicha is available at some Latin American markets, a full-flavored beer is an excellent substitute. Ají (made with chiles and tomatoes) is Ecuador's all-purpose condiment. While some versions are smooth purees, this chunky ají is more like a relish. If you would prefer a more fiery ají, include the seeds of the jalapeño.

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Chicken Chile Verde

Credit: PHOTO © JOHN KERNICK
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The secret to this tangy and spicy stew by chef Deborah Schneider is the warm tomatillo-and-chile sauce; topped with creamy avocado and cool sour cream, it’s a perfect meal. Schneider sometimes swaps pork, cubed tofu, or vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms for the chicken.

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Beer-Braised Chicken Stew with Fava Beans and Peas

Credit: © Fredrika Stjärne
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Paul Kahan is a big fan of chicken thighs because they have so much flavor and are so inexpensive—the best of both worlds. He braises the thighs in beer to make an excellent spring stew that he (naturally) pairs with more beer, such as Pere Jacques from Chicago's Goose Island Beer Company, a Belgian-style ale full of caramelized malt flavors.

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Chicken Stew with Shitake and Lemongrass

Credit: © Chris Court
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Gabriel Rucker gives Thai lemongrass chicken soup a French makeover with white wine, sweet potatoes and heavy cream. The result is a rich, warming stew of super-tender chicken thighs.

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Jamaican Chicken Stew

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The secret to the deep flavor of this rustic chicken stew is the worcestershire sauce, bringing the power ingredient, anchovy into the mix.

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Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew

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Make-ahead Tip: The chicken stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.

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By Bridget Hallinan