This chicken stew is the best I have ever tasted, period! It’s a hearty meal of tender, juicy chicken, carrots and potatoes simmered in a rich, flavorful broth. It’s a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen!
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post in any way. I purchased this cookbook on my own and just want to share this fabulous cookbook and chicken stew recipe with you.
Recently, I was in Kohler, Wisconsin attending the Kohler Food and Wine Experience. The whole weekend was magical and I learned a ton and got to sample some great food. One of the highlights of that weekend was meeting Christopher, Jack and Bridget from America’s Test Kitchen.
The Ultimate Comfort Food
Their session was focused on The Ultimate Comfort Foods, where we got to watch them make (and taste!) their Best Chicken Stew and Chewy Brownies from the newly revised edition of (affiliate link) The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. “This cookbook includes all 15 seasons (including 2015) of the hit TV show in a fabulous collection featuring more than 950 foolproof recipes and dozens of tips and techniques.”
The cookbook is 963 pages of awesomeness. I mean, check out the thickness! In the pages of the book is the best recipe ever for homemade chicken stew!
You guys, even if you don’t watch the TV show, you need this cookbook. I mean, there are 26 chapters filled with comfort food recipes that you know are delicious and solid.
This is what I love about America’s Test Kitchen:
- Knowing that they test and test and test again, for EVERY single recipe.
- They show and tell you why certain things/techniques work.
- Then they talk about the science behind everything.
- They come up with methods using ingredients you would never think to use.
Soups and Chicken Stew Recipe
And there’s an entire chapter of SOUP recipes, plus the chicken stew. I love this cookbook.
What I’ll be cooking next:
- Perfect Potstickers
- Simple Pot Roast
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Slow Cooker Beer Braised Short Ribs
- Beef Stroganoff
- Hearty Lentil Soup
- Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli
- Stir-Fried Asparagus with Shiitake Mushrooms
- Southern Cornbread
- The Best Almond Cake
Now, I can’t just show you photos of this FABULOUS Chicken Stew, which is rightly named “BEST Chicken Stew” for a reason. You guys, the richness in flavor in this stew is crazy delicious. When I learned how to make chicken stew at Kohler, I made it for my family like immediately. Like, after being home for 3 days. It is that good.
How to Make Chicken Stew (America’s Test Kitchen recipe)
What makes this chicken stew amazingly fabulous is the fact that you are searing chicken wings to provide rich chicken flavor and plenty of thickening gelatin, and then you gently simmer bite-size pieces of boneless chicken thighs for tender bites throughout the stew. To boost the meatiness, you will use a combination of bacon, soy sauce, and anchovy paste. Anchovy paste!!! Brilliant. Finally, you take full advantage of the concentrating effect of reduction by cooking down wine, broth, and aromatics at the start and simmering the stew uncovered during its stay in the oven.
Chicken Stew, the way it should be – THE BEST
The good people over at America’s Test Kitchen gave me permission to share this chicken stew recipe with you all. So, seriously, you guys .. today is your lucky day. Make the chicken stew and be happy.
And buy this cookbook and know, without a doubt, that you will have more than 950 delicious, solid recipes that you will be making again and again in your kitchen. And if you don’t have your Thanksgiving menu set yet, buy this cookbook for inspiration, recipes and a Thanksgiving holiday menu you and your family will never forget.
Oh, and if you like this stew, try my Korean Spicy Chicken Stew recipe next!
Chicken Stew (The best ever!)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs halved crosswise and trimmed
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 3 slices bacon chopped
- 1 pound chicken wings halved at joint
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white wine plus extra for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 3 pieces
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound small red potatoes unpeeled, quartered
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange chicken thighs on baking sheet and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper; cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon browns, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to medium bowl. Add chicken wings to pot, increase heat to medium, and cook until well browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes; transfer wings to bowl with bacon.
- Add onion, celery, garlic, anchovy paste, and thyme to fat in pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until dark fond forms on pan bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to high; stir in 1 cup broth, wine, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits; and bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to sizzle again, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add butter and stir to melt; sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in remaining 4 cups broth until smooth. Stir in wings and bacon, potatoes, and carrots; bring to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Remove pot from oven. Use wooden spoon to draw gravy up sides of pot and scrape browned fond into stew. Place over high heat, add chicken thighs*, and bring to simmer. Return pot to oven, uncovered, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken offers no resistance when poked with fork and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes longer. (Stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Discard wings and season stew with up to 2 tablespoons extra wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Published November 1, 2013. From Cook’s Illustrated. I received permission from America’s Test Kitchen to publish their Chicken Stew recipe here.
