Poor Man Chicken Stew Slow Cooker

Poor Man Chicken Stew Slow Cooker. This simple chicken stew was my grandma’s secret weapon for feeding a big family without spending much money. She made it stretch to feed all 8 of us, and the broth it makes is so rich and good, you will not believe how easy it is.

A simple, budget-friendly chicken stew slow-cooked with potatoes and carrots until everything is tender and the broth turns golden, rich, and deeply flavorful. Perfect for feeding a big family on a small budget.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 to 3.5 pounds bone-in chicken pieces such as legs or thighs, with or without skin
• 2 pounds russet or yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into round slices
• 1 and a half to 2 teaspoons salt, or as much as you like
• Half to 1 teaspoon black pepper, or as much as you like
• 4 to 6 cups water, just enough to cover everything in the pot

Poor Man Chicken Stew: Directions

1. Cut up your vegetables first. Peel the potatoes and cut them into big, even pieces about an inch and a half wide. Peel the carrots and slice them into round pieces about half an inch thick. Try to keep all the pieces close to the same size so they finish cooking at the same time.
2. Put the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker in one flat layer. Then spread the carrot slices on top of the potatoes. The vegetables sit at the bottom and work like a little platform that holds the chicken up off the bottom and lets everything cook evenly.
3. Place the chicken pieces on top of the carrots and potatoes. Try to lay them in one single layer so they are not piled on top of each other. This helps the chicken cook all the way through and makes it easier to serve later.
4. 1 can of creamy mushroom soup or creamy chicken soup (10.5 ounces). Do not skip this step even though it seems simple. The bones from the chicken do most of the flavor work during the long cooking, and the salt helps bring all of that out at the end.
5. Pour in enough water to just barely cover the chicken and vegetables. This is usually around 4 to 6 cups depending on how big your slow cooker is. You do not want too much water because keeping it just covered is what makes the broth taste so rich and golden at the end.
6. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. When it is done, the chicken will be very soft, the potatoes and carrots will be tender but still in one piece, and the broth will smell amazing and look a light golden color.
7. Taste a small spoonful of the broth and add a little more salt or pepper if it needs it. Because this recipe uses only a few simple things, getting the seasoning right at the end makes a really big difference in how good everything tastes.
8. Spoon the stew into bowls and make sure each bowl gets a piece or two of chicken, a good amount of potatoes and carrots, and plenty of broth. The chicken will be so tender that it almost falls apart. You can leave it on the bone or pull the meat off with a spoon before serving. Serve it hot right out of the slow cooker.

Poor Man’s Pot Roast Slow Cooker