Our Family’s Southern Chicken Stew Recipe
Featuring tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and chicken, this flavorful and hearty southern chicken stew recipe is a firm family favorite.
This Southern Chicken Stew is a must-try. Rich, comforting, and packed with flavor, it’s a dish that quickly becomes a household favorite. It’s simple to prepare, easy to customize, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Originally published in a 1974 issue of Good Housekeeping, this recipe has stood the test of time. It’s a staple for family meals, gatherings, and cozy nights in. The hearty combination of tender chicken, potatoes, and a flavorful broth makes it both satisfying and versatile.
Once you’ve made it a couple of times, you’ll likely have the recipe memorized. It stores well in the fridge, freezes beautifully, and can be easily stretched by adding more potatoes. A double batch ensures a warm, homemade meal is always on hand for the week. This budget friendly, hearty meal is going to be your new favorite!
What You’ll Need to Make Southern Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- potatoes
- whole chicken
- crushed tomatoes
- corn
- onion
- salt
- black pepper
- sugar
- butter
How to Make Southern Chicken Stew
In a dutch oven, cover the whole chicken with water and cook over medium heat until it the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant read thermometer. When done, remove the chicken from the broth and set it aside to cool a bit. Reserve broth. You can use boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe, just add some chicken bouillon cubes to your water to make sure your chicken broth is rich enough.
Peel and dice the potatoes and onions.
Add diced onions and potatoes to the reserved broth. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred.
When the potatoes are very soft, remove approximately a coffee cup’s worth. With a fork, mash these potatoes in the cup.
Add the mashed potatoes back into the dutch oven.
Then add the .
Next, add the can of crushed tomatoes. You can use diced tomatoes or even fresh garden tomatoes in place of the crushed tomatoes.
Next add salt and pepper.
Finally, add the sugar. Sugar acts to enhance flavor and offset the acidity of the tomatoes.
Simmer slowly with the lid off for about forty-five minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the butter. Adding butter just before serving makes for a creamy, velvety texture.
Ladle stew into bowls and serve. This Southern Chicken Stew recipe refrigerates and freezes well. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave.
Notes on Making Southern Chicken Stew
- Serve Southern Chicken Stew with saltine or oyster crackers, homemade drop biscuits, or cornbread. You could also serve it with a simple side salad, like an easy Greek salad.
- For a little kick, serve your stew with some hot sauce. Alternatively, before simmering add a teaspoon of paprika or a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning.
- Want to add more vegetables? Add in a cup of frozen peas or green beans when you add the corn. You could also add diced carrot, , or celery to your stew.
- You can use chicken that is already cooked and shredded (rotisserie chicken works well), but you will need to use chicken stock to cook the vegetables.
- If you want to make Southern Chicken Stew in a crockpot, cover and cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours, add the potatoes and onions a couple of hours into cooking. When chicken is cooked and tender, remove from crockpot and shred, remove the potatoes as instructed above and then add everything back to the crockpot and cook on high for a couple of hours or until warmed through.
More Stew Recipes You’ll Love
Ingredients
- 1 chicken
- 2 large onions chopped
- 7 cups water
- 4 cups canned tomatoes
- 6 medium potatoes peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups frozen or canned whole kernel corn
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chicken until done in water. Remove the chicken from the broth and discard its skin. Separate the meat from the bones and then shred the meat.1 chicken, 7 cups water
- Dip off as much fat from the broth as possible.
- Simmer potatoes in 1 cup of broth in a covered saucepan until done and do not drain. Mash potatoes slightly, keeping them lumpy.6 medium potatoes
- Add corn, onions, tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper to broth.2 large onions, 4 cups canned tomatoes, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 cups frozen or canned whole kernel corn, 5 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add potatoes and chicken pieces and simmer slowly with the lid off for at least 45 minutes.6 medium potatoes, 1 chicken
- Right before serving, stir in the butter and let it melt. This chicken stew is best if made a day ahead and reheated to serve.2 tablespoons butter
Christy I hope you continue on the road to a full mend! I just wanted you to know how much it means to me that you have your system set up to start your post off with our name. It is like getting a letter from an old friend with always having an inspiring message included. As a disabled person that is in the house a lot this means so much. THANK YOU!! I love soups and stews no matter the weather and will eat them 365 days out of the year and I am from Texas so that means some really HOT weather. My daughter will not touch a tomato either unless it is pureed. So needless to say I understand your frustration as I will eat a tomato any way I can get it even from a can just hand me the salt shaker! Really in the winter when tomatoes from the store taste like cardboard I would rather have a canned on my salad as they at least have flavor and you can use the juice with oil, vinegar, and a few herbs and make a delicious dressing for the salad. Once again Christy THANK YOU for making us all feel so special!!!!
THANK YOU Marsha!! I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the recipes and the messages!!! You all make me feel so special by allowing me into your lives on a regular basis and I appreciate it more than you will ever know!
This recipe looks so good! If I use boneless chicken breasts and bouillon cubes, about how many of each should I use? Thanks so much!
Hmmm I’d do three to four breasts and about 8 cups of water with a billion cube for each. Then add more if you find you need it but that’s a good ballpark estimate. Hope this helps!
It does help. Thanks a lot!
This looks yummy. Reminds me of Southern Brunswick Stew – the only difference is the addition of lima or baby limas. Cornbread or saltines set it off perfectly. Maybe let those who wish add a shot of hot sauce!
going to try your family’s Chicken Stew. I’ve made a few of your recipes. and the family have loved each one that I’ve made.
I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the recipes Teresa!!
Christy, I knew a woman who was the daughter of two Italian parents. She said that Italians (at least from their part of Italy), ALWAYS put a bit of sugar in any of their tomato sauces. So you are doing what some of the best European cooks do! She said that brought out the flavor. It does–partially by balancing the acid of the tomatoes.
I look forward to trying this stew!
Hello Christy,
I have to say you have a wonderful recipe on hand. I have always cooked foods I knew how to cook from my mother. She always had many good dishes, but sadly she has left us. I always wanted to make her chicken stew, but never asked her how to make it, but your recipe is a wonderful substitute and has a very similar taste. Thank you for posting this recipe.
When I made it all I had was leg quarters, but it seemed to make a rather nicely rich broth. I also put green beans in it. I would like to ask a question: have you ever put Rotel tomatoes in your stew? I was thinking of adding it for a bit of zip. I like a little heat in my stew, but I don’t like adding dried heat like crushed red pepper. Do you have any suggestions for people like me??
Hey Christy
Thank you so much for this recipe I’m going to try it for lunch, because it is autumn in South Africa and we have been having rainy weather, I will tell you how it went 🙂
I hope that you enjoy it Lize, it is one of my favorites!!