Description
Hearty Spanish pot chicken stew brings rustic comfort from rural kitchens. Robust flavors and tender meat blend perfectly for satisfying meals you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) chicken thighs (boneless, skinless), cut into chunks
- 4 cups (950 ml) chicken broth
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ cup frozen peas (optional)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour (or cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsps water)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Searing Preparation: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, creating an ideal sizzling surface for cooking.
- Chicken Seasoning: Thoroughly coat chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika, ensuring complete flavor infusion.
- Initial Cooking: Brown chicken segments for 3-4 minutes per side until golden, then transfer to a separate plate, preserving those rich caramelized notes.
- Vegetable Foundation: In the same pot, sauté onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and celery until they become translucent and tender, developing a robust aromatic base.
- Herbal Enhancement: Sprinkle thyme, oregano, and a bay leaf into the vegetable mixture, allowing herbs to release their essential oils and intensify the flavor profile.
- Liquid Integration: Pour chicken broth and tomato paste into the pot, whisking vigorously to create a harmonious cooking liquid that will transform into the stew’s rich foundation.
- Combining Elements: Return seared chicken to the pot, bringing the entire mixture to a robust boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Slow Cooking Process: Cover and allow ingredients to meld together for 25-30 minutes, ensuring vegetables become tender and chicken cooks thoroughly.
- Final Touches: Introduce frozen peas during the last cooking stage, then optionally thicken the stew by whisking flour with broth and folding into the mixture.
- Serving Presentation: Remove bay leaf, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve alongside crusty bread or fluffy rice for a complete culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Browning: Ensure chicken pieces are completely dry before searing to achieve a perfect golden-brown crust, which locks in flavor and creates delicious caramelization.
- Herb Freshness Matters: Use fresh herbs when possible, as they provide more vibrant flavor compared to dried alternatives, dramatically enhancing the stew’s overall taste profile.
- Prevent Vegetable Mushiness: Cut vegetables into uniform sizes to guarantee even cooking, preventing some pieces from becoming overcooked while others remain undercooked.
- Dietary Adaptation Strategy: For gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder when thickening, and use gluten-free broth to maintain recipe’s integrity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg