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Home > Lunch/Dinner > Instant Pot Chicken Stew
35 minutes minutes

Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Modified: Apr 3, 2025 · Published: Sep 14, 2018

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Super easy, quick, one-dish meal is what this Instant Pot chicken stew recipe is all about. Loaded with vegetables along with hearty potatoes it’s a perfect meal that can be made in an instant pot or stovetop. It’s hearty, comforting just like lamb stew and is great with crusty bread to dunk in.

Have you tried chicken afritada (Filipino chicken stew) yet?

instant pot chicken stew in white bowl

One of the best things to cook in instant pot is stew.  Stew that otherwise simmers for hours can be done in minutes. Beef, pork or lamb stew usually takes longs hours to simmer and cook, but in a pressure cooker stew can be easily made in matter of minutes. Chicken stew takes much lesser time. That gives you all reason why you should be including this ridiculously simple and easy to make instant pot chicken stew recipe to your weekly dinner menu list.

Before you guys jump on to me and tell it’s ridiculous to make everything in instant pot when you can make it on stove top, let me tell you this. We don’t claim that all things have to be made in instant pot, No! We are saying instant pot is convenient and a life saver.

Most dishes that you cook on stove top can be made in instant pot too, but only with much lesser time. When we say lesser time, we mean spend less time standing next to the pot to keep constant watch, and less overall cooking time.

Dinner is a breeze with instant pot for any busy person. Also there are so many households that don’t have a stove. Instant pot recipes are for such people. If you are a mom who has kids to take care and have very little time to stand in kitchen and cook up a meal, you will love instant pot versions.

So yes chicken stew recipes can be made on stove top too. If you want to know how you can follow this recipe and make stew chicken on stove top, read below, we have included the stove top instructions.

instant pot chicken stew served in white bowl

Instant pot chicken stew is all made in one pot, where everything is dumped into the pot and stew cooks itself. Ultra tender juicy chicken pieces and soft vegetables in gravy like sauce makes this chicken stew the best and it’s perfect winter meal with some crusty bread to dunk into the saucy stew.

This stewed chicken is winner all the way. Dunk your crusty bread into stew or mop it all up with the bread. Nothing can be more comforting and healthy as this instant pot chicken stew recipe on cold winters.

chicken stew cooked in instant pot

Let’s talk about the savory saucy stew, shall we!

A good stew is one which has balanced vegetables and meat ratio. Use as many types of vegetables you want to use. The main ingredients for stewed chicken are chicken, carrots, onions and of course potatoes.

Simmer stew ingredients for few minutes to get everything together. A gorgeous brown stew chicken bowl is thick enough and warms you from inside. It’s rustic meal, hearty and delicious.

A bowl of warm and comforting stew chicken and few pieces of crusty bread for dunking is filling enough, you won’t need anything for sides.

What flavors goes into instant pot stew chicken

Stew chicken is lighter meal with clean flavors in it.

This is not an ordinary, bland stew chicken recipe. The aroma of bay leaf and rosemary is extraordinary.

It’s packed with some amazing flavors. Flavors from garlic, onions, bay leaf and rosemary along with tomatoes give it somewhat rich flavor profile to soup. Look at the color!  We are taking the poor man’s food and giving it a new flavor twist.

More additional flavoring agents like

Worscestershire sauce

Red wine vinegar

Adds a new dimension to stewed chicken.

chicken stew cooked in instant pot

Helpful Kitchen Tools:

     

How to make stew chicken

Prep work for chicken stew – Using chicken pieces with skin is what I prefer. We are making chicken stew without oil, and the fat from the chicken pieces is needed for me.

I find chicken thighs and chicken legs best for instant pot chicken stew. If you do not like fatty stew, please use skinless (fat less chicken pieces). Wash chicken pieces well. Pat dry them.

Pro-Tip : Chicken with skin is what i prefer. For my palate it has just enough fat that wont mess up the stew. But if you find skin on chicken pieces is super fatty, please feel free to remove the skin on the chicken and any extra fat on it.

Chop onions and tomatoes. If using baby potatoes cut into half length-wise. Cut carrots into ½ inch pieces, celery into chunks. Mince garlic.

Pro-Tip : additional vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli can be added too.

Cook in instant pot – add all ingredients into instant pot. Select PRESSURE COOK setting and adjust timer to 10 minutes.

Note : 10 minutes on timer does not mean instant pot chicken stew would be ready in 10 minutes. Remember pot once turned on will take time to heat up and build pressure inside it. I timed it and noted it takes close to 20 minutes for the pot to come to pressure(you’ll notice steam coming out).

Use 10 minutes cooking time for chicken thighs with bones. If using chicken breast adjust time to 6 minutes.

I recommend chicken stock to cook the stew. Chicken stock enhances the flavors of the stew. Water can be substituted for chicken stock.

Once cooking time is over allow the pot for 10 minutes natural pressure release. Then open the lid.

Flavoring it up – fresh and dried herbs and spices creates  herb-flavored saucy broth. Bay leaf(fresh or dried) and rosemary sprig makes a aromatic broth in which chicken gets cooked. The aroma of stew is simply amazing.

Additional flavoring agents – don’t just stop at herbs, you can add in a few more additional flavoring agents to brighten this chicken stew.

A splash of white wine (optional, we skipped)

A few spoons of Worscestershire sauce and a dash of red wine vinegar(to be added at the end) to lift the dish up making the broth full of color and flavor.

Thickening – cooked chicken stew will be dilute and weak. Thicken it by adding a few teaspoons of flour mixed in water. Pour in more chicken stock and simmer. You can added more chicken stock later on if you find stew begins to dry out.

Once flour mixed with water is added let the stew simmer in saute mode for few minutes (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Serving it up – just before serving, you can shred chicken pieces and any bones can be removed or discarded. If you don’t mind messing your hands, serve chicken stew with whole chicken pieces. Use your hands to tear apart the flesh of chicken with bread. We sometimes like rustic food and don’t mind messy eating. Well that’s just me!

No need to remove chicken pieces out of the pot separately to shred it. Do it inside the pot itself.

Serve warm chicken stew in a serving bowl with warm crusty bread.

Dunking crusty warm bread into the saucy stew turns the hard bread into a soft delicious slice to chew on.

vegetables and chicken for instant pot chicken stew with all herbs and seasoning

How to make stew chicken on stove top

First cook chicken pieces in a sauce pan with little oil. Remove and set aside. Then into the same pan saute onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, until onions just begins to brown. Keep stirring.

Add garlic and cook for a minute.

Add white wine if using.

Add chicken broth, scrape all the browned pieces from the pan that might be sticking.

Add tomatoes and stir in for a minutes.

In a small bowl whisk flour with water. Pour into the pan.

Stir in chicken pieces, 3-4 cups of chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, add bay leaf and rosemary sprigs.

Pour in Worcestershire sauce.

Cover partially and simmer for 25 minutes.

Place cut potatoes into the sauce pan. Simmer for 20 minutes more uncovered.

The stew will thicken as it cooks. Add more chicken broth or liquid as needed during cooking.

Remember stew will thicken as it cools down.

instant pot chicken stew in white bowl

Love instant pot recipes? Check out CurryTrail’s favorite instant pot recipes –

INSTANT POT BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

PRESSURE COOKER WHOLE CHICKEN

INSTANT POT APPLE CIDER

EASY-TO-PEEL INSTANT POT HARD BOILED EGGS

INSTANT POT SWEET POTATOES

INSTANT POT GENERAL TSO CHICKEN

HOW TO BOIL PEANUTS IN INSTANT POT

INSTANT POT CHICKEN PARMESAN MEATBALLS

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CREAMY INSTANT POT CHICKEN MARSALA

INSTANT POT ROASTED POTATOES

INSTANT POT SPINACH AND CHICKEN CURRY

CREAMY INSTANT POT MAC N CHEESE

INSTANT POT BUTTER CHICKEN

HOW TO COOK RICE IN INSTANT POT

INSTANT POT POPCORN

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dunking bread into instant pot chicken stew
instant pot chicken stew in white bowl
5 from 30 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Jyothi Rajesh
Super easy, quick, one-dish meal is what this Instant pot chicken stew recipe is all about. Loaded with vegetables along with hearty potatoes its a perfect meal that can be made in instant pot or stove top.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 272

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb chicken preferably with skin on (about 5-6 pieces, thighs and leg pieces are best)
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 to matoes chopped
  • 1 lb baby potatoes halved
  • 3 carrots cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 3 celery stalks cut into chunks
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Few sprigs of rosemary
  • ¼ cup white wine optional
  • 2 teaspoon Worscestershire sauce
  • 2 cups of chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup flour for gluten free option use – corn starch, rice flour or arrow root flour

For garnish-

  • Thyme
  • Crusty bread

Instructions
 

  • 1. Add chicken pieces (thighs and legs with skin on) into the pot along with onions, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery stalks, garlic, salt and pepper, bay leaf, rosemary leaves, worscestershire sauce and little chicken stock or water into the pot.
  • 2. Put the lid on and make sure the pressure valve is in sealing position. Use manual setting and adjust timer to 10 minutes. Remember instant pot will take time to build pressure, about 20 minutes. Only after that the cooking timer will start.
  • 3. Once cooking time is over, allow instant pot to sit for 10 minutes (Natural pressure release). 
  • 4. Turn pressure valve to venting position to release any pressure left in the pot.
  • 5. Open the lid.
  • 6. Stir in red wine vinegar. In a small bowl whisk flour with water. Pour into the pot. 
  • 7. Select saute setting and let stew simmer for 3-4 minutes more or until it thickens. Remember chicken stew will thicken as it cools down.
  • 8. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve it with crusty warm bread.

Video

Notes

  1. If you don’t like even a tiny weeny bit of fat in your stew, use skinless chicken in the recipe. Also remove any extra fat in the stock before adding .
  2. Before serving shred chicken well.
  3. To make it even more easier, use boneless chicken so shredding is less work. But note, chicken with bones adds more flavor to the stew.
  4. Use any vegetables of your choice. Feel free to adjust the spices and seasoning as per your taste preference. 
  5. This stew can be frozen. Use freezer friendly zip lock bags or air tight containers to freeze. Can be stored in freezer for 2 to 3 months.
 
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 0gCalories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 15gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 204mgPotassium: 787mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5520IUVitamin C: 27.1mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1.9mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

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    5 from 30 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Cindy says

    January 17, 2019 at 4:47 am

    How much water or broth did you add to the pot before sealing and cook. Also the thickening mixture how much water and corn starch?

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      January 20, 2019 at 12:06 pm

      Cindy – I added 1 1/2 cup first.
      And for thickening I added 1/2 cup water.
      You can adjust the water or stock content depending on how thick or thin you want your stew to be

      Reply
      • Tami says

        February 18, 2019 at 10:03 am

        Could you use sweet potatos instead of regular potatoes?

      • jyothirajesh says

        February 18, 2019 at 11:46 am

        Should be ok, but remember stew will have sweet taste from sweet potatoes. If your ok with that, sure

  2. Donna says

    December 27, 2018 at 8:14 pm

    5 stars
    Hello…this Is delicious, made it about a month ago. Can I double this recipe for 7-8 people in a 6 quart. Planning on making it tomorrow. Thank you.

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 31, 2018 at 10:44 am

      I think you should be able to double the recipe. I use 7 quart recipe and I could easily double it.

      Reply
  3. Cindy says

    December 24, 2018 at 9:09 am

    5 stars
    Thank you! I’ve made this three times. Delicious. Only changes are that I didn’t add the white and I added a cup of water. I love the heartiness and flavors of this stew. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 24, 2018 at 11:16 am

      Thank you Cindy, so glad you liked it

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    December 19, 2018 at 9:49 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last night, and boy was it delicious!! This will now be my go-to chicken stew recipe for sure!

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      December 19, 2018 at 10:05 pm

      Sarah, i’m very glad to hear that. Thank you for trying the recipe. Hope to see you here more often

      Reply
  5. Jacky says

    September 19, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    I want to make this for this weekend. Anyone know if this recipe along with some crusty bread makes enough for 4 hungry adults?

    Reply
    • jyothirajesh says

      September 20, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      The recipe served 4 in my family. But if you have big eaters in the family then you may increase the ingredients quantity by 0.5

      Reply
  6. Natalie says

    September 17, 2018 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Nothing is better than a bowl of hot chicken stew. It’s absolutely a must now when flu and cold season is starting. Love this instant pot version. It’s so easy and family friendly recipe.

    Reply
  7. swathi says

    September 17, 2018 at 9:21 am

    5 stars
    Instant pot chicken stew looks delicious and flavorful I like that you added veggies, This makes filling and easy recipe.,

    Reply
  8. Jenni LeBaron says

    September 16, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    I love that you can make hearty meals like this so quickly in your electric pressure-cooker! I make a version of this every year, but I love that you’ve added potatoes and Worcestershire to your soup. I bet the potatoes really make this hearty and the Worchestershire really gives this a fun flavor kick. I’d love to try your recipe next time!

    Reply
  9. Mahy Elamin says

    September 16, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    This is absolutely fantastic! So YUMMY! Is good food and this looks like one of the BEST!

    Reply
  10. Marisa Franca says

    September 16, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    A nice pot of stew always reminds me of Sunday dinner. So welcoming to have a hot bowl of chicken and vegetables. Comfort food at its tastiest. I do wish I had an Instant Pot but I don’t. May Santa will bring me one.

    Reply
  11. Veena Azmanov says

    September 16, 2018 at 2:49 am

    5 stars
    I love stew and now that the cooler weather is coming soon I will be making a few of those soon. Love how simple and easy this is. and of course so quick. Looks so yum.

    Reply
  12. Claudia Lamascolo says

    September 15, 2018 at 11:14 pm

    that sure is a hearty stew! I would love a big bowl of this with some nice crusty homemade bread pure comfort in a bowl!

    Reply
  13. Gloria says

    September 15, 2018 at 10:35 pm

    5 stars
    You can never go wrong with a great pot of stew. Soon it will be comfort food season. If I can put it in a bowl and wrap my hands around it to get the chill out of me, I am a happy girl.

    Reply
  14. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    September 15, 2018 at 10:33 pm

    This looks fabulous! So flavorful and warming for the upcoming cool months! Thanks for including instructions for both options!

    Reply
  15. Karyn Ryan says

    September 14, 2018 at 10:53 pm

    5 stars
    I really have to get me on of these instant pots.. It would make my like so much easier when it comes to dinner time. We love chicken stew in my house. This recipe would be a great hit with my boys. It looks so tasty and comforting

    Reply
Newer Comments »

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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