Instant Pot Chicken Stew | Kara Lydon Leave a comment

A hearty and comforting one pot meal, this creamy Instant Pot Chicken Stew is made with chicken thighs, carrots, garlic, green beans, and spices like rosemary, thyme and sage.

Why I Love This Recipe

A thick savory stew is the perfect meal to cozy up with during the cold winter months.

This Instant Pot Chicken Stew is comforting, hearty, and satisfying on its own or when paired with a crusty slice of bread. It’s creamy, packed with flavor, and loaded with lots of dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley. 

Made with chicken thighs for protein, tons of veggies like carrots, celery, green beans and potatoes, and heavy cream for creaminess and a boost to its satiety factor, this stew is a meal the whole family will love.

I love making this stew in the Instant Pot because it saves time and energy. Set it, and forget it! It tastes as if you’ve been simmering it all day long, when it really only took you less than an hour from start to finish.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can easily make this in the slow cooker or on the stove top. However you make it, you’ll have a one pot meal that’s warm, cozy, nourishing, and delicious. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Notes on Ingredients

boneless, skinless chicken thighs: I like using chicken thighs since they’re more flavorful than breasts, but you can use either. You could also make it vegetarian or vegan by substituting the chicken with a plant-based protein like chickpeas or lentils and swapping the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

butter: aromatic flavor enhancer used to coat the veggies for sautéing.

yellow onion: adds aromatic flavor. 

celery: part of the aromatic foundation for the broth. 

carrots: adds a subtle sweetness and enhances the flavor of the broth.

garlic: packs in the flavor. 

white wine: deglazes the pan which maximizes the overall flavor of the stew. 

baby potatoes: potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6. Feel free to substitute for other potato varieties as needed. 

dried rosemary: adds a piney, peppery flavor. 

dried thyme: provides a subtle minty, sweet, and earthy flavor.

dried sage: provides a full, earthy flavor that is slightly lemony and minty.  

dried parsley: adds a fresh, bold flavor.

bay leaf: adds another layer of flavor to compliment the dried herbs.

salt and pepper: essential flavor enhancers.

chicken broth: can substitute for vegetable broth but the flavor might be different. 

frozen cut green beans: green beans are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and calcium. I like using frozen green beans here for added convenience. 

heavy cream: for creaminess and contributes to the rich flavor. 

cornstarch: used to thicken the stew. You can swap with flour or arrowroot starch if needed

Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you make a purchase I receive a small commission)

Instant Pot

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Sear chicken thighs. Heat olive oil on high Sauté setting and once hot, add chicken thighs and sear until browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Sauté aromatics. Set Instant Pot to normal Sauté and melt butter. Once melted, add onions, celery and carrots and cook until onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom as needed. 
Add ingredients. Turn Sauté off and add chicken back into the pan followed by the potatoes, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Stir ingredients together.
Cook. Secure cover onto Instant Pot (make sure set to sealing) and set to Pressure Cook for 10 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release for 10 minutes before using quick release.
Shred chicken. Remove chicken from the pot to shred then add it back in. 
Add heavy cream and green beans. Stir in heavy cream and green beans. Remove bay leaf.
Make cornstarch slurry and add to pot. Whisk cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl until combined. Add cornstarch slurry to pot, stir to incorporate, and set to Sauté until soup begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Serve hot! 

Expert Tips

Be sure to cut the potatoes small enough (think bite-sized pieces) so that they cook all the way through to fork tender.
Allow heavy cream to come to room temperature before adding to soup to prevent curdling.
Green beans can be swapped for any frozen vegetable of your choice. Corn, bell peppers, peas, broccoli or cauliflower would all work well.
If you’re making in the slow cooker:

Add all ingredients (except olive oil, butter, green beans, heavy cream, and cornstarch) to slow cooker and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and potatoes are tender, about 3-4 hours on high and 7-8 hours on low.

Stir in green beans, heavy cream, and cornstarch slurry to help thicken.

Recipe FAQs

Is stew better in the slow cooker or pressure cooker?

Both definitely work and will taste delicious, so it depends on your preference, which appliance you have, and how much time you have. Pressure cookers are great in a pinch whereas slow cookers run all day. A slow cooker is great for hands off cooking, while a pressure cooker involves a few more steps that require your attention. In terms of overall taste, some people feel that flavor is better retained in a pressure cooker, but again this is subjective. 

How do you make a stew thicker?

The key to achieving a thick, creamy stew is creating a cornstarch slurry. I typically mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and stir until combined. With the Instant Pot set to Sauté, add the slurry and let the stew come to a simmer, allowing it to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. 

Can other vegetables be added to the stew?

Why not!? I recommend sticking to frozen veggies here because they require no prep and are super quick to add in at the end. Corn, bell peppers, peas, broccoli or cauliflower would all work well.

Can you put raw chicken in the Instant Pot?

Yes, you can put raw chicken in the Instant Pot. The cooking time for chicken varies depending on the size of the breasts/thighs but 8-10 minutes on high should do the trick. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before you eat it, and if you’re not sure that it’s cooked through, test with a cooking thermometer.

Storage and Preparation 

Instant Pot Chicken Stew leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat on the stovetop, use a small saucepan and heat over medium-low until reaches desired temperature. To reheat in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl and reheat for 1-3 minutes, depending on the microwave. 

Leftovers can also be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Recipes That Pair Well

Air Fryer Garlic Bread

Beet Salad with Feta

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Holiday Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

For more instant pot inspiration, check out my other recipes below!

Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup

Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Easy Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili 

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto

Instant Pot Guiness Beef Stew

If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

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