Poor Man Chicken Stew
A few winters ago I had one of those weeks where grocery shopping was more stressful than helpful. Prices kept rising and the fridge looked empty every time I opened it and I needed dinner ideas that didn’t involve spending another forty dollars at the store.
That night I grabbed a pack of chicken, a couple of potatoes, some carrots that were starting to look a little tired, and a random can of cream soup from the pantry. Not exactly a thrill ride.
I still chopped everything up and threw it in a big pot because hungry people don’t really care how fancy dinner sounds. “They want something spicy, and it tastes good.
About half an hour later the kitchen started to smell wonderful. The onions and broth mingled with the chicken, and the whole house was suddenly warmer, somehow. That smell was like the dinners my grandmother made when she had to stretch ingredients without anyone noticing. Nobody called it “poor man’s stew” in those days. People just called it supper.
Probably why I still love dishes such as this. They make no claim to impress. They just do what comfort food is supposed to do. They fill up bowls, they hush everybody up for a little while, they make the kitchen feel like the best room in the house.
By the time I served it the potatoes were soft, the broth was rich and creamy and the chicken fell apart with no effort. Everyone went back for seconds and no one said anything about how cheap the ingredients were.
Honestly, those are usually the best meals, anyway. I now make this stew when the weather gets cold or I am particularly busy. It doesn’t require much brain work, which sometimes feels like the best gift a recipe can give. And if you eat the leftovers right out of the fridge the next morning standing in the kitchen with a spoon, I totally get it.
What you need
1 pound chicken thighs or breast, cut into chunks
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 sliced carrots
1 small chopped onion
4 cups chicken stock
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1: Begin the stew
Combine the chicken, potatoes, carrots and onion in a large pot or Dutch oven.
Add the chicken stock and cream of chicken soup.
Add garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper.
Combine everything and puree until the soup is blended into the broth.
Step 2: Simmer
How to Make Stew Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Turn heat down, cover and simmer everything for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Stir it now and then so nothing sticks near the bottom.
The potatoes should be tender and the chicken should come apart easily with a spoon.
Step 3: Serve it while hot
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
I always usually have this with thick buttered bread, as the broth at the bottom is too delicious to leave behind.
Little Kitchen Tidbits
Stewing chicken thighs adds more flavor to the stew but I use chicken breast a lot too since that’s usually what I have on hand.
If you want extra veggies, add frozen peas or corn towards the end.
If the stew is too thick, add a little more stock.
Everything sits together overnight and gets even better.