Tuesday: Chicken Stew Recipe

Prep chicken and vegetables

Pat chicken thighs dry and cut into 1" pieces. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Dice onion, slice carrots and celery, halve baby potatoes if needed, and mince garlic.

Brown chicken

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tbs olive oil and 1/2 tbs butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and brown 2–3 minutes per side until golden but not cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

Add remaining 1 tbs olive oil and 1/2 tbs butter to the pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrots and celery; cook 4–6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Make roux and deglaze

Sprinkle 2 tbs flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute to cook the raw flour. Slowly pour in 1 cup of chicken broth while stirring to deglaze and form a smooth slurry, scraping up brown bits from the bottom.

Simmer stew

Return browned chicken to the pot along with remaining 2 cups chicken broth, diced tomatoes, halved potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, remaining 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially and cook 18–22 minutes until potatoes are tender and chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).

Finish

Remove bay leaf. Stir in frozen peas and simmer 2–3 minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning; stir in 1 tsp lemon juice if desired to brighten. If stew is too thin, simmer uncovered 3–5 minutes to reduce; if too thick, add up to 1/2 cup extra broth.

While stew simmers, rinse rice under cold water until water runs mostly clear. Combine rice, 1 3/4 cups water, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tbs butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

When the stew is nearly done, heat 1 tbs butter in a small skillet over medium. Add frozen corn and cook 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and starting to brown. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Keep warm until serving.

Cook potatoes

Place quartered potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water and add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10–12 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and let cool slightly (warm is fine for better dressing absorption).

Make dressing and combine

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, red onion, celery, pickle relish, apple cider vinegar, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Toss warm potatoes with dressing until evenly coated. Chill at least 15 minutes to meld flavors, or serve immediately. Sprinkle paprika over top if desired.

Warm dinner rolls in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes until heated through, or microwave covered for 20–30 seconds per roll. Serve with softened butter.

Spoon cooked rice into bowls or plates, ladle chicken stew over the rice, place a scoop of warm buttered corn and a portion of potato salad on the side. Serve each person a roll with butter.