Nothing can truly replicate Mom’s cooking; she had a kind of magic that infused every bite of her food. But Just-Like-Mom’s Chicken Stew comes pretty close! It has a charm all on its own with its tender vegetables, savory and succulent chicken, and creamy broth, which can warm you up even after the coldest days. Just-Like-Mom’s Chicken Stew is a magic spell in food form, casting you back to childhood and making everything alright. Isn’t that the true power of home cooking?
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) chicken with legs, thighs, and breasts cut into 8 separate pieces, backbone and wings discarded
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- vegetable oil, to taste
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh curly parsley, chopped, plus more, whole leaves, to taste, for garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream
Directions
Step 1 –Season the chicken pieces with the salt and the pepper.
Step 2 –Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step 3 –Brown the chicken, working in batches, until lightly golden on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
Step 4 –Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Step 5 –Add the celery and the onion and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
Step 6 –Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook until the raw flour smell dissipates.
Step 7 –Add the stock to the onion mixture and season with the salt and the pepper.
Step 8 –Add the parsnips, the carrots, the rutabaga, and the turnips.
Step 9 –Add the chicken back to the mixture and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 10 –Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 11 –Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes.
Step 12 –Stir the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of the parsley into the chicken mixture.
Step 13 –Taste the stew for seasoning and add more of the salt and the pepper, as needed.
Step 14 –Serve garnished with the extra parsley leaves.
