easy chicken stew

Do you like chicken stew?

I do.

So does my family. 

We like it a lot actually.

Chicken stew is easy to prepare, and you can add whatever vegetables you like to it. Once the initial stages of browning and putting the ingredients together are done, the stove or oven does all the work. Stews can be eaten with rice, or pasta, or a salad, or with a loaf of crusty bread.

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What’s not to love?

Today I used my Le Creuset Oval French Oven to cook my chicken stew. It was super delicious!

This is because cast iron pots are able to conduct heat evenly. This means that no matter which part of the pot your food is lurking around in, it will cook as evenly as its neighbors. In addition, Le Creuset’s French ovens come with a layer of enamel coating. Being made from materials that are of top-notch quality, it will not flake off – which is all important as you really don’t want strange bits (or worse still, strange chemicals) cooking together with your food!

Let me show you how.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. I used chicken thigh meat because it is more juicy but you can also substitute with chicken breast if you wish.

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In the casserole, brown the chicken in batches in a little olive oil. Once the chicken is brown, remove and place in a bowl. (There is no need to cook the chicken completely.) Continue until all the chicken pieces have been browned. Set the chicken aside.

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In the same casserole, add a little more olive oil. Saute the onion for about one minute, or until the onion has softened.

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Add the celery and carrots. Stir to mix. Cook this for another minute or so.

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Add white wine if you wish. If you are not adding the wine, replace with the same quantity of chicken stock. (For notes on chicken stock please see here.)

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Bring the liquid to a boil. This is important – using your spatula, slowly and gently scrape the bottom of the casserole to dislodge the black bits. These are bits of flavor so you want every bit you can get. In addition, this makes cleaning up super easy later on. Since Le Creuset cast iron cookware is enameled, it is really easy to scrape off the bits of flavor.

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Add the chicken stock and return the chicken (and juices in the bowl) back into the casserole.

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Bring to a boil. Add your favorite herbs – I used bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.

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Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the casserole and cook for about 20 minutes.

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Add the potatoes, and stir to combine.

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Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

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Stir in the corn starch slurry, season with salt and pepper, then top with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.

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Enjoy!

{GIVEAWAY}

For the first time, I have partnered up with Le Creuset Singapore to host a Giveaway for one Le Creuset 22m Round French Oven in Kiwi, worth $629 to one lucky reader of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe!!

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Are you excited? I am! πŸ˜€

Apart from being total eye candy, the well-made Le Creuset Round French Oven is designed with the right thickness and the right weight of the lid, to spread heat evenly throughout the pot. This will keep the steam and condensation trapped inside, pulling out the flavour and nutrients of the original ingredients.

And as a Le Creuset user, I can assure you this is one pot that is made to perform and to last!

For your chance to win this, simply complete the Rafflecopter below.

The more tasks you complete, the more chances you have to win this fabulous prize. Good luck! 

*Terms and Conditions Apply.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easy Chicken Stew
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 500g chicken thigh/ breast, skin removed and cut into bite-size pieces
  2. 5 baby carrots, cut into pieces
  3. 3 stalks celery, cut into pieces
  4. 3 potatoes, skin removed and cut into pieces
  5. 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  6. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 1/2 cup (120ml) white wine - I used Chardonnay
  8. 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, or mix 50% salted chicken stock with 50% water
  9. 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  10. 1 teaspoon fried rosemary
  11. 3 bay leaves
  12. 2 teaspoons corn starch, mixed with 2 teaspoons water to make a slurry
  13. Salt and pepper, to taste
  14. 1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Instructions
  1. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
  2. In the casserole, brown the chicken in batches in a little olive oil. Once brown, remove and place in a bowl. Continue until all the chicken has been browned. Set the chicken aside.
  3. In the same casserole, add a little more olive oil. Saute the onion for about one minute, or until the onion has softened.
  4. Add the celery and carrots. Stir to mix. Cook this for another minute or so.
  5. Add white wine if you wish. If you are not adding the wine, replace with the same quantity of chicken stock.
  6. Bring the liquid to a boil. This is the important – using your spatula, slowly and gently scrape the bottom of the casserole to dislodge the black bits. These are bits of flavor so you want every bit you can get.
  7. Add the chicken stock and return the chicken (and juices in the bowl) back into the casserole.
  8. Bring to a boil. Add your favorite herbs – I used bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.
  9. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the casserole and cook for about 20 minutes.
  10. Add the potatoes, and stir to combine.
  11. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
  12. Stir in the corn starch slurry, season with salt and pepper, then top with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Serve immediately.
The Domestic Goddess Wannabe http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/

*Contest ends on Thursday 16 July 2015 at 2359hrs. The winner will be selected via Rafflecopter, and notified via email. He/She has up to Saturday, 18 July 2015 to respond to the notification email. Should there be no response, the winning entry will be rendered null and void, and another winner will be chosen. All prizes will be sent to the winner by Le Creuset Singapore. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. Open to residents of Singapore only.

Tools I love and use in my kitchen:

Tovolo Silicone Mixing Spoon – Fuchsia

 Le Creuset Oval French Oven (27cm) in Ocean