There are few things as comforting as a bowl of homemade Southern Style Chicken Stew. This classic chicken recipe has been around for generations and is full of homemade goodness. It’s simple, unpretentious, and absolutely delicious!
This creamy chicken stew, like my Crock Pot Ham And Potato Soup or Bloody Mary Chili, is an easy-to-make favorite my family can’t get enough of.
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Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying many bowls of this amazing chicken stew recipe. For me, the real success of this dish is how simple and uncomplicated it is. It’s a Southern classic that has few ingredients and doesn’t need any extra toppings.
What’s funny about this recipe is that for the longest time, I couldn’t find a single “written down” version of how to make a creamy chicken stew recipe. I asked my family, friends, and other trusted cooks, and I always got the same answer: boil a chicken, add some stock and milk, a little butter and flour, and season it with salt and pepper. So, after all of that, I took it upon myself to make it, write it, and share it with you.
This easy chicken stew recipe, Southern style, is a time-honored dish that everyone should learn to make. It’s best served steaming hot with Spicy Crackers or a slice of Cornbread. You can add a dash of hot sauce, though, if you want to get fancy. This is comfort food made with love.
Ingredients Needed To Make Creamy Chicken Stew
- Chicken – whole pieces or bone-in/boneless chicken breasts.
- Chicken stock, All-Purpose Flour
- Whole Milk, Butter
- Salt, Black Pepper
How To Stew Chicken On The Stove Top
- In a large stock pot, combine the chicken with enough water or chicken broth to cover it. Season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you like.
- Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, partially covering the pot. Allow the chicken to cook for 1-2 hours, or until tender, occasionally skimming off any foam or fat if you want.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked and tender, remove it from the heat. Let the chicken cool, then shred. Use in chicken stew, chicken soup, Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, or Easy Chicken Chili.
How To Make Southern Chicken Stew
- Add chicken to a large stockpot with enough water to cover. Simmer until tender, about an hour. Remove from the pot, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid.
- When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and meat. Shred meat and return it to the cooking liquid. Add chicken stock, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, mix together flour, milk and butter to make a slurry. Gently spoon into simmering liquid and stir until incorporated. Add more milk and stir. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
Questions And Answers
Yes, it is. The first is to make a paste with butter and flour to help thicken the chicken stock, and the second is to make the stew creamy. Trust me, this is a process that works!
Yes, you can absolutely add dumplings to this Southern stewed chicken recipe! Prepare the stew as the directions state, and then, add your dumplings and allow them to cook in the stew liquid.
Sure. Add sauteed carrots, onion, celery, corn, garlic, or bell pepper.
Allow the chicken stew to cook, then transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Southern Style Chicken Stew Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- 1 3 pound chicken – whole, pieces or just chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add chicken to a large stockpot with enough water to cover. Simmer until tender, about an hour. Remove from the pot, reserving 2 cup of cooking liquid.
- When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and meat. Discard skin. Shred meat and return it to the cooking liquid. Add chicken stock then bring liquid to a simmer.
- In a small bowl or cup, mix together flour, milk and butter. Gently spoon into simmering liquid and stir until incorporated. Add milk and stir. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot with a dash of hot sauce if desired and saltine crackers.
- ***This recipe serves 8 to 10 people.
Notes
- Milk is used TWICE in this recipe – the first is to make a paste with butter and flour to help thicken the chicken stock, and the second is to make the stew creamy. Trust me, this is a process that works!
- To Store And Reheat– allow the chicken stew to cook, then transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
Nutrition
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Shannon Green
Love it!!! 🤩 I added corn but everything else was yours.
phyllis
BEST chicken stew, reminds of my mama’s chicken stew!
Vicki
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I’m like you, I have searched everywhere for a recipe and could never find one. Your recipe is pure perfection. I sometimes add a tiny bit of liquid smoke which reminds me of the taste you would get when making it in a big pot over an outdoor fire.
FoodieKC
Delicious! This is my go to recipe for chicken stew.
Elaine Black
Perfect! This is how my grandma used to make it! I’ve been looking for this recipe for over five years!
I love this! Thank you.
~Donya
Libby McGaha
Couldn’t find a place Tonasket a question, so trying this. When u say it serves 10, how much does this chicken stew recipe make…4 quarts or 10 quarts or how much in quantity? Thanks!
Joy Carlson
I made this with 2% milk and extra butter. I also added Better Than Bouillon Chicken base, since the cooking liquid is unseasoned and 1 tsp salt is a negligible amount for all the milk. Since it takes time for the stew to thicken, you should add a time length to simmer until it reaches a stew consistency and the flavors marry up. I simmered mine for about 25 minutes. It may be traditional to serve with saltines, but we often slopped it over fresh homemade biscuits. My family loved to break the rules.
Deb
Joy, the recipe does say to simmer for about an hour. Perhaps you missed the time in the instructions.
Harriette Buckenham
Chicken Stew was a “regular” at my grandmothers house in Fall and Winter. It was passed down by her mother who received it from a German refugee in an internment camp during WWII. Our recipe is the same, with one exception: a generous amount of grated sharp cheddar cheese was slowly stirred in when the stew was finished. Amazingly delicious and satisfying!
Always served with Saltine Crackers and sweet pickles.
Tammie
Milk is listed twice. I get whole milk, what is the other?
It’s listed 2 times because it’s used 2 times in the recipe. Full details are in the instructions.
Enjoy!
~Donya
Sharon Myers
Thank you for this chicken stew base recipe! I fry up some bacon in the pot, remove bacon and keep a little for sautéing some chopped onion. Then I add cut up rotisserie chicken, boxed chicken stock and, at the end, heavy cream. chop up the bacon for garnish when you serve it. So many different ways to explore this comfort food!