Chicken Stew Recipe, Mediterranean-Style

This one-pot chicken stew is designed to satisfy your taste buds and leave you feeling good in every way possible! Prepared Mediterranean-style, this stew is brimming with chopped vegetables and bold flavors like garlic, oregano, and thyme, plus a splash of white wine vinegar for brightness and balance. Serve it with a loaf of your favorite crusty bread or over a bed of couscous or your favorite grain. This is one meal that is even better the next day…and yes, you can freeze chicken stew!

Take a look at my tips and watch the video below for how to make it.

Mediterranean-style chicken stew served in a blue bowl

When the temperature drops, we all crave something cozy, delicious, and nourishing all at once. So I might start my days with a protein-packed banana shake with tahini, but will definitely end it with a stew… like this chicken stew.

As chicken soups go, you know how much I love my avoglemono, but today’s recipe is right up there with it. You can think of this one more as a chunky chicken thigh stew with a bit of an Italian flare. And every bite of it will have you coming for more.

This is a healthy chicken stew recipe with layers of chopped veggies, tomatoes, and big Mediterranean flavors like oregano, thyme, and coriander. And let me tell you, do not underestimate the splash of white wine vinegar stirred in at the end! That little bit of acid is the secret ingredient that brings about brightness and balance to this hearty stew without stealing the show.

Let’s dig into today’s chicken stew ingredients and you’ll get why it is different and so worth a try…

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil. The start of this stew (and my fat of choice almost always) is a little bit of good extra virgin olive oil to sauté our vegetables and aromatics.
  • Chicken. Obviously this is the star ingredient in the stew; you’ll need about 1 ½ pounds here. To make things super easy, I am using boneless, skinless chicken thighs which always turn out nice and tender without too much effort. You can use chicken breast, if that’s what you prefer.
  • Vegetables. For me, onions and garlic are always a must for flavor. From there, I try to use veggies of different colors and texture. This time I used carrots, zucchini, potato, and red bell peppers. But again, feel free to use up what you have on hand. Tip: Cut your vegetables into small bite-size pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
  • Tomatoes. I like to use a big can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, which are intense, slightly sweeter and offer a delicate acidity to balance this hearty stew. If San Marzano tomatoes are not available to you, any quality canned whole tomatoes that you like will work here.
  • Liquid. I like my stew on the thicker, chunkier side, so just 2 cups of chicken broth will do the trick.
  • Herbs & Spices. Fresh thyme, dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon each paprika and coriander. A good cup of parsley is stirred in at the end for a fresh pop of color.
  • Acid. Just 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar is stirred in at the very end. And believe me, you don’t want to skip it. And if you don’t have white wine vinegar, you can squeeze a little bit of lemon juice for balance and a touch of brightness.
ingredients for how to make chicken stew

How do you make chicken stew from scratch?

Chicken thigh stew is easy to make on your stove top. And since everything will cook together in one pot, sure to use a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid (I used this 6-quart pot in the video below). Here is how to make it (print-friendly recipe below):

  • Brown the chicken
    First, season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. In your pot, heat about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook on one side until nicely browned, then turn over and brown on the other side (this will take 6 to 8 minutes or so). Transfer the chicken to a side plate or tray for now.

    browned chicken thighs

  • Sau​té the vegetables
    In the same pot, cook the onions, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini and tomatoes. If you need to, add a little more extra virgin olive oil and cook the vegetables over medium-high, tossing regularly. Season with kosher salt, black pepper, and add 1 teaspoon of each paprika, coriander, and dry oregano. Cook until the veggies have soften some (about 8 more minutes)

    sauteed veggies in the pot

  • Add the liquid
    Since this is a stew, we need some liquid! Now we add some whole tomatoes from a can (break them up with a wooden spoon to release their juices). Add 2 cups of chicken broth and a couple thyme sprigs. Bring this party to a boil.
  • Add the chicken and simmer
    Now, nestle the chicken in the tasty, chunky liquid. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to medium-low and cover the pot only part way (leave a little bit of an opening for the stew to breathe). Let the stew simmer for 30 minutes until all the veggies are cooked through and the chicken is fall-apart tender!

    stew chicken in the cooking pot

  • Add finishing touches and serve
    When the stew is fully cooked, turn the heat off and remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar (trust me, this will add just enough tang to balance all the flavor) and 1 cup chopped fresh parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy!

Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot

I’ll admit that I make more use of my crock pot when it comes to something like beef stew, which requires a lot more time to cook. But if you do want to make this stew chicken recipe in your slow cooker, you absolutely can. Here is what you’ll do:

  • First, brown the chicken (you’ll do this part on the stove top with a bit of olive oil in your pan just as described in the recipe).
  • Transfer the browned chicken to the bottom of a large slow cooker, and add the chopped vegetables, spices, thyme, and a dash of kosher salt and black pepper. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth.
  • Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours OR on high for 3 to 4 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • Stir in the white wine vinegar and fresh parsley. Serve!
chicken stew served in a bowl with a side of crushed red pepper flakes

What to serve with it?

The beauty of a one-pot stew like this is that you really don’t need to add anything more to complete the meal. You can serve the stew chicken in bowls with just a side of your favorite crusty bread, or if you have 10 minutes, make some couscous to serve as a bed for the saucy stew. A big salad to start the meal is never a bad idea.

Can you freeze chicken stew?

Yes! This chicken stew recipe will freeze well. First, let the stew cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers (make sure to leave a bit of room at the top of the container). Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm through over medium heat (you may need to add a little more liquid to reheat).

You may also like:

Baked Chicken and Vegetables Sheet Pan

Fish Stew, Mediterranean-style

Mediterranean Bean Soup with Tomato Pesto

Pasta alla Norma

Craving more? Browse our all chicken recipes, 50+ Top Mediterranean Diet recipes, or all Mediterranean Recipes

Mediterranean-style chicken stew served in a blue bowl

Print

Mediterranean-Style Chicken Stew Recipe

One-pot chicken stew, prepared Mediterranean-style with lots of chopped vegetables and bold flavors like garlic, oregano, and thyme, plus a splash of white wine vinegar for brightness and balance. Serve it with a loaf of your favorite crusty bread or over a bed of couscous or your favorite grain. This is one meal that is even better the next day…and yes, you can freeze chicken stew!
Course Dinner, Entree
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword Chicken stew
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 people (up to)
Calories 253.9kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (8 thighs)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 zucchini small diced
  • 1 potato small diced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 28 can whole San Marzano tomatoes, (or any quality canned whole tomatoes you like)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken dry and season on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper.
  • In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and brown on both sides (about 6 to 8 minutes). Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate for now.
  • In the same Dutch oven, add the onions, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, zucchini and potatoes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the spices. Toss to combine and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened some, about 7 to 8 minutes (I like to let them gain a little char too).
  • Add the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and the thyme springs. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back and cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low and cover the Dutch oven part-way. Let the chicken stew simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
  • Turn the heat off. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in white wine vinegar and fresh parsley and serve

Video

Notes

  • Crock Pot Option: follow steps 1 and 2 for seasoning and browning your chicken, then transfer the chicken to the bottom of a large crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the vinegar and fresh parsley). Close the crock pot with the lid and cook on low for 5 to  6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender. Stir in the vinegar and parsley. 
  • Leftovers and Storage: Store leftovers in a tight-lid container in the fridge for 4 days or so. You can also freeze this stew for later use. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm through over medium heat. 
  • Visit our Online Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils, spices and more! 

Nutrition

Calories: 253.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.9g | Protein: 26.6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 107.7mg | Sodium: 534.3mg | Potassium: 1039.6mg | Fiber: 4.4g | Vitamin A: 5295.5IU | Vitamin C: 67.4mg | Calcium: 100.6mg | Iron: 3.9mg

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