Pressure Cooker Chicken Stew Recipe

Yields: 6-8 servings
Cook Time: Under an hour

If there’s one thing that reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen, it’s the cooking of chicken stew. When I was a child, I remember coming in from the cold and smelling that sweet combination of chicken, rosemary, and basil. It always reminded me that a good hot meal was only a few minutes away and it also showed just how much our grandmother loved us.

For years, I attempted to replicate my grandmother’s recipe but never could. Then one day, I struck up a conversation with my cousin and found out that she had the actual recipe card my grandmother used. The index card was stained and tattered but nevertheless, it contained her instructions for the best meal on the planet. Of course, I may be a bit biased since it’s my family’s recipe.

It took me a little while to alter the recipe slightly so it was perfect for the crock pot but I finally managed to do it. And today, I’m going to unveil it. Here is the greatest pressure cooker chicken stew you’ll ever find. I hope that you really enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of skinless & boneless chicken thights (about 3.5 pounds)
• 8 red potatoes (chopped)
• 1 large white onion
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1 bag carrots (baby)
• 4 stalks of celery (chopped)
• 2 32-ounce containers of beef stock
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Special Note-This recipe calls for 2 containers of beef broth and yes, that’s not a typo. While most people would add a chicken broth to a chicken stew, I feel that the beef broth really pulls the entire dish together and adds a layer of depth. Of course, if you don’t like it, then you can always use a chicken or vegetable broth of your choice. After all, it’s your decision.

Salt and pepper the chicken thighs and set aside. Take the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it in your crock pot using the saute or browning feature. Divide your chicken into two separate batches and place each half at a time in the pot. You don’t want to add too much chicken to your pressure cooker at one time because then you won’t brown them but will steam them instead. Once the first batch has been browned, then set it aside and start on the next batch. Since the skin of the chicken thighs will release so much fat, you’ll want to remove some of it before you go on to the next step. Pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of chicken fat.

Chop up the onion, the garlic clove, the celery and the baby carrots into the chicken fat that’s in the pressure cook. On the saute setting, gentle cook these ingredients for about 3 minutes. You don’t want to make them soft, you just really want to release the aromatics from the onions and the garlic and release them into the celery and baby carrots. Slowly add some of the beef broth and be sure to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. That’s the good stuff and will improve the taste of the pressure cooker chicken stew immensely.

Wash the potatoes and cut them into pieces but be sure that you don’t peel them. You want to leave the skin on. Add the potatoes to the pressure cooker with the rest of the beef broth, the rosemary, the basil and all of the chicken. Now you’re ready to get this chicken stew pressure cooker cooking.

Close up the pressure cooker, lock the lid and cook on high for about 25 minutes. When that time has elapsed, use the natural steam release method and let the steam drop for an additional 10 minutes. Carefully remove the top and uncover. Taste the stew and add salt and pepper to it as needed.

If you want to make dumplings to place on top of this chicken stew, then add your favorite dumpling dough to the top of the stew, seal it up and cook for an additional 10 minutes. If you don’t want to add dumplings to it, then you can enjoy this dish with a nice crusty bread—like maybe a baguette or some soda bread. Now you can enjoy a hot steaming bowl of chicken stew the way it’s supposed to be made.

Final Thoughts

Well, I hope that you enjoyed making this rustic chicken stew with me. While it may seem a bit unconventional with the addition of beef broth instead of chicken broth, I feel this is a simple rustic recipe that anyone can make during the winter or just about anytime. It’s one that puts a warm feeling in your belly and makes you think of simpler times.