Mary Berry Chicken Stew Recipe

This Mary Berry Chicken Stew Recipe is a hearty and comforting recipe, which is made with bacon and mushrooms. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Mary Berry Chicken Stew Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 6 oz bacon lardons (or chopped thick-cut bacon)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
• 8 oz cremini (chestnut) mushrooms, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups dry red wine (like Merlot) or beef stock
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (purée)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

How To Make Mary Berry Chicken Stew

1. Preheat Oven and Brown Chicken: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large, ovenproof casserole dish or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in batches (skin-side down first) until golden on all sides. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
2. Cook Bacon and Vegetables: Add the bacon lardons to the same pot and cook for 3-5 minutes until they start to crisp and render their fat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add Mushrooms and Garlic: Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until they are browned. Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
4. Make the Sauce Base: Sprinkle the 2 tbsp of flour over the vegetables and stir well to cook it for 1-2 minutes. This will thicken the stew.
5. Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the red wine (or beef stock), scraping the bottom of the pot to lift up all the flavorful browned bits. Let it bubble and reduce by about half. Stir in the 2 cups of chicken stock, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves.
6. Combine and Bake: Return the browned chicken pieces (and any juices) to the pot, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
7. Bake the Stew: Transfer the covered pot to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
8. Serve: Remove the bay leaves. Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• How do I get the richest flavor? Don’t skip browning the chicken and scraping the pan! Searing the chicken (Step 1) and then scraping up those browned bits (the “fond”) when you add the wine (Step 5) is where all the deep, savory, “cooked-all-day” flavor comes from.
• Can I use chicken breasts instead? It is not recommended for this recipe. Chicken thighs (especially bone-in) become meltingly tender and add flavor to the stew during the long braise. Chicken breasts would become very dry and tough.
• What’s the best wine for this? A dry, robust red wine like a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a French Burgundy is traditional. If you don’t cook with wine, you can substitute it with an equal amount of good-quality beef stock.
• Can I make this on the stovetop? Yes. Instead of putting it in the oven, you can just let it simmer (covered) on your stovetop over a very low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours. Just be sure to stir it every 20 minutes so the bottom doesn’t catch.

What To Serve With Chicken Stew

This hearty stew is a one-pot meal that is perfect for a cold evening. It’s best served with something to soak up the rich sauce.

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Crusty Bread or Baguette
• Dumplings (you can add them on top for the last 20 minutes of cooking)
• Buttered Egg Noodles

How To Store Chicken Stew

• Refrigerate: This stew tastes even better the next day. Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: This stew freezes beautifully. Let it cool, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until piping hot.

Mary Berry Chicken Stew Nutrition Facts

(Per serving, assuming 6 servings)

• Calories: ~520 kcal
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 135mg
• Sodium: 780mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 18g
• Dietary Fiber: 4g
• Sugars: 9g
• Protein: 36g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Marry Me Chicken Recipe
• Mary Berry Sticky Chicken Wings Recipe
• Mary Berry Chicken Leek And Mushroom Pie