Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

 

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 Cups Chicken Thighs 3 pounds, diced
• Canola Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Onion yellow, finely chopped
• 1/3 Cup Flour
• 6 Cloves Garlic minced
• 1 Stalk Celery small, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 2 teaspoons Thyme fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon Sage dried
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 2 Tablespoons cooking white wine (real wine is fine but use double the amount)
• 1 Cup Red Potatoes chopped 1/2” pieces
• 1 Cup Potatoes Yukon Gold, chopped 1/2" pieces
• 3 Carrots large, peeled and sliced
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Cup Peas frozen
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream *optional see note
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley fresh, minced

Instructions

• Pat the chicken dry so that cooking brings out more caramelization and color. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Cook the chicken in batches, about 5-6 minutes, flipping occasionally until golden and cooked through, and remove to a plate while you cook the next batch.
• Heat the butter in the skillet and add the onions and celery, cooking until softened and stirring occasionally, about 6-8 minutes. add the flour and garlic, and stir for 20 seconds and then add the tomato paste, thyme and sage, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
• Slowly whisk in half of the chicken broth and the cooking wine, scraping up any bits from the chicken. Add the potatoes and carrots along with the remaining broth and cooking wine and simmer with the lid on over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. 
• Add all ingredients except the peas and cream into the slow cooker and cover. Cook for 4-5 hours.
• Discard the bay leaves and stir in the peas and cream. Add the lid and cook for 5 more minutes. 
• Serve with fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.