Hearty Italian Chicken Stew Recipe

This hearty tender Italian Chicken Stew is made with boneless chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes, and sweet bell peppers, and ready in 60 minutes. The rich red broth thickens around the vegetables while the meat becomes incredibly soft and easy to pull apart. I love making this on a cold rainy evening when I need comfort food fast.

Why This Classic Works

I used to struggle with dry chicken in stews until I switched to using boneless thighs instead of breasts. Dark meat handles the longer simmer time without losing its natural moisture.

The acidity of the canned tomatoes balances the richness of the chicken fat perfectly. Adding a splash of chicken broth prevents the sauce from burning while everything reduces into a thick gravy.

Italian Chicken Stew Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers (red and green), sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

How To Make Italian Chicken Stew

1. Brown The Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear for 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté The Vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and sliced bell peppers to the pot, cooking for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Build The Sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Simmer The Stew: Return the chicken to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
5. Garnish And Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh chopped basil right before serving to keep its flavor bright.

Recipe Tips

• Use chicken thighs: Thighs stay much softer than chicken breasts during the 35-minute simmer.
• Scrape the pot: Those dark bits left after searing the chicken pack intense savory flavor into the final sauce.
• Do not rush the onions: Let the onions and peppers soften completely before adding the tomatoes to avoid crunchy vegetables in your stew.

What To Serve With Italian Chicken Stew

This stew needs a starchy side to soak up the heavy tomato sauce. I recommend serving it over cooked rigatoni pasta, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes. A thick slice of crusty garlic bread is also great for wiping the bowl clean.

How To Store

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this stew for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove.

FAQs

• Can I use chicken breasts instead? Yes, but you need to adjust the cooking time. Simmer for only 20 minutes so the white meat does not dry out.
• Can I make this in a slow cooker? Absolutely. Brown the chicken first, then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
• Why is my sauce too thin? If your tomatoes were very watery, leave the lid off for the last 15 minutes of cooking. This allows excess liquid to evaporate.

Nutrition

• Calories: 320
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Sodium: 850mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 16g
• Protein: 34g

Italian Chicken Stew

Recipe by Paula

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Italian Chicken Stew features hearty, tender bites of boneless chicken thighs and sweet bell peppers in a rich tomato sauce. Ready in 60 minutes, it makes a simple and filling weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 2 bell peppers (red and green), sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions

• 1. Brown The Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear for 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• 2. Sauté The Vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and sliced bell peppers to the pot, cooking for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• 3. Build The Sauce: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• 4. Simmer The Stew: Return the chicken to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 35 minutes until the chicken is tender.
• 5. Garnish And Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh chopped basil right before serving to keep its flavor bright.