Slow Cooker Chicken and Root Vegetable Stew

Bone-in chicken thighs nestle into a savory broth alongside sweet potato, parsnips, and carrots, cooking low and slow until the meat falls off the bone and the vegetables are tender and sweet. The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day. This is the kind of stew that fills your kitchen with warmth and smells like home.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
6 people
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
6 hours
Total time
6 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2½ lb Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 lb Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks (about 2 medium)
  • 12 oz Parsnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks (about 3 medium)
  • 12 oz Carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks (about 4 medium)
  • 1 medium Yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 3 cups Chicken stock
  • 1½ tsp Dried thyme
  • ¾ tsp Dried rosemary
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1½ tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil (optional, for browning chicken)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat 2½ lb (1.1 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
  2. If you want a richer, deeper flavour, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken thighs skin-side down for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp, then transfer them to the slow cooker insert. If you prefer to skip this step, just place the seasoned thighs directly into the slow cooker.
  3. Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
  4. Mince 4 cloves garlic.
  5. Peel and cut 1 lb (450 g) sweet potato (about 2 medium) into 1½-inch chunks.
  6. Peel and cut 12 oz (340 g) parsnips (about 3 medium) into 1½-inch chunks.
  7. Peel and cut 12 oz (340 g) carrots (about 4 medium) into 1½-inch chunks.
  8. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, sweet potato chunks, parsnip chunks, and carrot chunks to the slow cooker around and under the chicken.
  9. Pour 3 cups (720 ml) chicken stock over everything.
  10. Sprinkle in 1½ tsp dried thyme, ¾ tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper, then tuck 1 bay leaf into the liquid.
  11. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the vegetables are soft and sweet.
  12. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  13. If you like, chop 2 tbsp fresh parsley and scatter it over the top before serving.
  14. Ladle the stew into bowls, making sure each serving gets chicken, vegetables, and plenty of broth.