Master Recipe

Chicken Stew

NOTE: We recommend using regular chicken thighs in this recipe. As a second option, you may use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, although the outer layer of meat will toughen during the cooking process. Substitute boneless, skinless thighs and sauté them in batches, adding a few more tablespoons of vegetable oil during the process to keep them from sticking. You may need to use a metal spatula to loosen browned skinless thighs from the pan. Serves six to eight.

  8    bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

  ¹/₂    teaspoon salt

  ¹/₄    teaspoon ground black pepper

  2    tablespoons vegetable oil

  1    large onion, chopped coarse

  2    medium garlic cloves, minced

  3    tablespoons flour

  ¹/₂    cup white wine

  2¹/₂    cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth

  1    bay leaf

  ¹/₂    teaspoon dried thyme

  4    large carrots, peeled and sliced ¹/₄-inch thick

  4    medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ¹/₂-inch cubes

  1    cup frozen peas (about 6 ounces), thawed

  ¹/₄    cup minced fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large ovenproof Dutch oven. Add half of chicken, skin side down, and brown, about 4 minutes. Turn chicken and brown on other side, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside on plate. Repeat process with remaining chicken. Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. When chicken has cooled, remove and discard skin (see figure 9).

 

2. Add onion to empty Dutch oven and sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to pot. Add stock, bay leaf, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Add carrots and potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken, submerging it in liquid, and return to a simmer. Cover and place pot in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat on top of the stove.)

 

3. Add peas, cover, and let to stand for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, discard bay leaf, adjust seasonings, and serve.