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There are few things as comforting as a bowl of homemade chicken stew. This classic, “Southern Style” recipe has been around for generations. It’s full of tender chicken in a creamy broth seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s simple, straightforward, and absolutely delicious!
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying many a bowl of that amazing chicken stew. For me, the real success of this dish is how simple and uncomplicated it is. It’s a southern classic that has just a 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 chicken stew. 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 to thicken then season with salt and pepper. That’s it. That’s all I got. So, after all of that, I took it upon myself to get an actual recipe together.
Southern Style Chicken Stew is a time-honored recipe that everyone should have in their recipe box. It’s easy to make that just warms you from the inside out! It’s best served steaming hot with saltine crackers. You can add a dash of hot sauce though if you want to get fancy. It’s a bowl of goodness that can stand on its own. It’s as simple as that.
Ingredients Needed To Make Chicken Stew
- Chicken – whole pieces or just chicken breasts
- Chicken stock
- Flour
- Milk
- Butter
- Whole Milk
- Salt
- Pepper
How To Make This Recipe
- 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. Shred meat and return it to the cooking liquid. Add chicken stock then bring mixture to a simmer.
- In a small bowl 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.
People Often Ask…
Yes, you can absolutely add dumplings to this Chicken Stew recipe!
While this isn’t a Chicken and Dumplings recipe, southern dumplings are always a welcome addition. Simple prepare the stew as the directions state, and then add in your dumplings and allow them to cook in the stew liquid.
More Soup Recipes You Will Love…
- Healthy Mushroom Soup
- Crock Pot Potato Soup
- Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup
- Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
- Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Easy One-Pot Lasagna Soup
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.
17 Soup Recipes For The Ultimate Fall And Winter Meal
For me, the #1, all-time most comforting thing I can cook is soup. Of course, I’ve got to throw in some stew or chili recipes, but the feeling is the same. Hearty, with a warm and fuzzy feeling, is what I’m striving for.
That’s what you’ll get with this collection of 17 recipes for the ultimate fall and winter meal. Not only are these recipes delicious, but they are also easy to make and are great for leftovers.
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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.
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.
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
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!