chicken stew recipes pls

boo81

My dad makes the best chicken stew but there isnt a recipe! He always uses tinned tomatoes, chicken or turkey, stock, carrots, leek or onion and various beans-variation of baked beans, kidney beans and butter beans.

The rest is whatever there is that needs using up and plenty of bits from the cupboard, from garlic to a dash of curry powder. He leaves it for ages on the hob or in a slow cooker and often adds the bones or giblets at the beginning to add flavour.

Its always a family event when dad makes stew as we all love it so much. He normally makes me extra portions to take home too:D

Shoey1610

I promise I have trawled the SC recipes but I can't quite find the answer I'm looking for. I have some chicken legs to use which were on special offer and I'd like to use my SC to make a chicken stew with them. Its only the second time I've used the SC, so I'm still all abit new to it, so I just have a couple of questions

I'm planning on putting in some stock, carrots, swede and onion with the chicken, what else should I put in with it? Do I need something to thicken it up abit? How long should I cook it for and on what setting?

[Deleted User]

Bung it all in and when the chooks flesh falls off the bones its done .Great way to cook a nice chicken stew.I like to leave it on until it's falling off the bones .I throw almost anything in as well,including the odd stick of celery and any tired looking veg from the bottom of the fridge .Even a couple of diced up spuds wouldn't hurt Only one pan to wash up as well.Slow cookers are the best invention ever You just can't go wrong with them.

Turtle

Hello everybody

Today I have bought half a roast chicken which I'm hoping to turn into a chicken stew. I have potatoes, a little turnip (specially bought for stew), carrots, onions and some stew mix pearl barley / lentils etc that I found in cupboard. I'm not sure what else I should put in and dumplings are a mystery.

I have no idea how to turn all this stuff into a lovely winter chicken stew. I would like it to be really thick like my mum used to make (I remember it always was thicker the next day). I'm not much good at just throwing things in pans, I'd like some sort of measurements, at least with the liquid so it's not too runny. The thicker the better!

Please could someone help me?

Thanks in advance.

trying-very-trying

I wouldn't think that precooked chicken is best for making a stew, but that sais this is what I would do: I would presoak the barley (maybe about 1/2 a cupful in lots of water), the amount of water used for soaking doesn't matter, beacause you're going to drain it all off. Do this overnight in cold water, or in the morning 10 mins in boiling water will suffice.
Then I would warm about a tbsp olive oil (or any available oil) in a pan, add the onions, carrots and potatoes, chopped as small or as chunky as you like them, and allow to heat gently until the veg have softened.
Then I would add about 1 pint of stock, (this can be made up with a stock cube, or marigol vegetable boullion powder) or just plain water You could also add a tsp of dried mixed harbs at this point. Add the drained barley, and allow to cook for a wee while, say 20-30 mins, then add your precooked chicken removed from the bone, and warm right through. If needed, thicken while boiling with a mix of 1tbsp cornflour (or use plain flour) mixed with 3 tbsp water, stirring all the time as you add it.

Remember to keep your chicken bones to boil up for soup.

I'm sure someone else will be along with a more precfise recipe for the stew, and even add instructions for dumplings, although, I think if you manage to make the stew you should feel well pleased with yourself as a begginer.

Hawthorn

Remove chicken from bone. Boil the carcass up for at least an hour (on simmer)
Remove bones from stock.
Add a couple of onions, the turnip, carrots and potatoes (cubed, of course ) Add broth mix - a handful or two, depending on how 'grainy' you like it. You want the stock to just cover the veggies.
Do you have herbs? Garlic leaf is good for chicken stew, mixed herbs will be fine though.
Let that simmer for an hour and half. Add chicken. Thicken and season well (cornflour and water paste works well, add slowly whilst simmering to desired thickness) I always season after adding the cornflour, otherwise I find it disturbs the seasoning. Take care not to add too much, or it will affect the texture of the stew.

Now, dumplings. Allow 1oz of fat, and 2oz of Self raising flour, per person. The fat should preferably be suet, but if you don't have that, marg or butter will do fine - just rub it in before adding water.
Mix the suet and flour well, add a pinch of salt and mix that in too. Add water slowly, until the mixture binds together. Use a dinner knife for this part. When it starts binding, squish it all into a lump - don't work it. Seperate into portions.
Now, you can either drop these in the stew and let simmer for 30 minutes (when you add the chicken would be a good time) OR, you can bake in the oven at gas mark 6, until they are crispy, golden and have risen. This takes about 20 minutes, but obviously depends on how big you made them.

Once you've thickened the stew, stir well every few minutes - especially as you are adding grains, or it will stick and burn. Go gentle if dumplings are in there, though.
You may need to add water during this stage too - little bits at a time, don't overdo it. It's easier to add small bits than it is to remove it if you add too much

Good luck!

Penelope_Penguin

I'd agree with tvt that raw chicken is better for a casserole, but thier recipe is a good one :T

I'll add this to the existing chicken stew thread to give you more ideas

Penny. x

Turtle

Thanks very much. I bought the ready cooked chicken as my mum always made it with chicken left from Sunday dinner. Would never have thought of making it with raw chicken! (well, cooked obviously, but you know what I mean). I will give it a go and will attempt the dumplings as well and report back. Thanks all again.

Turtle

Stew is in pan. Have chickened out of dumplings on this occasion though - will give them a try next time if stew is nice! Will report back. Oh, by the way, my stew mix barley stuff had a small crawly creature in it - could this have been in the mix as it was clipped up very tightly? Needless to say that went in the bin so it's only got lentils in now.

Turtle

Oh my word, stew is delish! I did miss the pearl barley, but will buy some this week and try a beef one next.

Thanks everyone:beer: