This 30-minute, Whole30 chicken stew is dairy free, gluten free and packed with loads of veggies and tons of chicken. If you have leftover chicken or turkey and nothing to do with it, look no further!
Tips for Making Chicken Stew
This one-pot healthy chicken stew is super easy to make. You can use leftover chicken or just make some quick shredded chicken in the same pot - because no one hates dishes more than me.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Arrowroot Powder: a quick thickener that's all-natural and free of gluten and corn. You can usually find this in the baking aisle or natural aisle of your grocery store. If you can't find it or order it - cornstarch is a suitable, but not Whole30, alternative.
- Baby Portobello Mushrooms: any mushroom will do, but I love the meaty texture of portobellos.
- Full Fat Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream: Usually found in the international aisle among the Asian cuisine ingredients, canned coconut milk is a great alternative for dairy-based creams. It's very thick and will sometimes separate in the can. If yours separates, pour out the liquid and use the remaining solids.
How to Toast Arrowroot or Cornstarch
After sautéing a diced onion in olive oil, you're going to coat them in arrowroot powder or cornstarch to act as an eventual thickener. Toasting it on the onions is a little extra step I like to do for these reasons:
- It gives the stew a nuttier rich flavor from the toasted onions and arrowroot
- The arrowroot will act as a thickening agent once the liquids are added to create a creamy stew base.
How to Make Quick Shredded Chicken
If you don't have any leftover chicken hanging out in the fridge - no worries, you can whip up some quick shredded chicken in no time.
All you need is 1 ½ pounds of chicken breasts, 1 tablespoons olive oil, some salt and pepper and a little water or chicken broth.
- Heat the dutch oven over medium-high heat with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Season about 1 ½ pounds of chicken breast with salt and pepper (I use about 1 teaspoon and ½ a teaspoon respectively).
- Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts to the pan and sear for about 3 minutes before flipping.
- Pour 1 cup of water or chicken broth into the pan and cover for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
- Use 2 forks to shred the chicken and set aside for the soup.
If you aren't working with leftover turkey or a rotisserie chicken, but you do have a whole chicken and a little bit of time to plan ahead, you can slow cook a whole chicken with some veggies OR check out my recipe for bone broth. You'll end up with a TON of meat for the soup and then some. You'll also end up with awesome homemade broth!
OTHER WEEKNIGHT RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
📖 Recipe
Whole30 Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb russet potato
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour (or cornstarch)
- 1 cup sliced celery (about 3 stalks)
- 4 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
- 2 large carrots (cut into ¼-inch slices diagonally)
- 8 ounces sliced baby portobella mushrooms
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk or cream
- ½ cup minced fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- COOK THE POTATOES: Prick the potatoes with a fork and microwave until soft in the center. Cool slightly, then peel and break into small pieces.
- COOK THE OTHER VEGETABLES: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5, minutes. Sprinkle in the arrowroot and stir until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add broth, carrots and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
- ADD REMAINGING INGREDIENTS: Add the coconut milk, mushrooms, celery, and potato pieces to the broth mixture and simmer until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Video
Nutrition
RECIPE EQUIPMENT
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Noreen
Delicious!! Followed the recipe as written, using leftovers from a rotisserie chicken-so good.
Lauren
So glad you liked it! It's definitely our favorite for chicken and turkey leftovers!