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Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Slow cooker chicken stew with fall-apart chicken thighs and a thick, gravy-like sauce. Slow-cooked with potatoes, carrots, celery, and aromatics, then thickened with a cornstarch slurry for a hearty texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and vegetables
  • 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs Use skin-on for best tenderness; remove skin and bones after cooking.
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halve evenly so they cook tender in the same time window.
  • 3 carrots Cut into thick rounds for bite and less mushiness.
  • 3 stalks celery Slice thick for a stew texture.
  • 1 onion Dice for even flavor distribution.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced so it blends into the broth.
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch Thicken the stew at the end with a slurry.
  • 3 tbsp water Combined with cornstarch to form a slurry.
  • 1 fresh parsley Chopped or torn for serving.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Add the baby potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Nestle the bone-in chicken thighs on top, then scatter in the minced garlic and pour in the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and add the bay leaf so everything is partially submerged.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is very tender.
  2. If needed, cook on High for 3-4 hours until the chicken is very tender.
Shred and thicken
  1. Remove the chicken thighs, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat.
  2. Remove the bay leaf from the stew.
  3. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the stew, then cook on High for 20 minutes until the gravy thickens and looks glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Notes

For best results, keep the vegetables in a single layer under/around the chicken so they cook at the same pace. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (thicken may look slightly thicker when reheated—stir and add a splash of broth if needed). For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium broth and low-sodium cream of chicken soup, and adjust salt at the end.