Description

A comforting slow cooker stew with tender chicken, sweet-tart apple cider, and soft apple chunks. Perfect for cozy nights, this easy recipe requires minimal prep and delivers maximum flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds (900g) boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cups (480ml) apple cider
2 medium apples (about 300g), peeled and chopped (mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
1 large yellow onion (about 200g), diced
3 medium carrots (about 200g), peeled and sliced into rounds
2 stalks celery (about 100g), sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (240ml) low-sodium chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
2 tablespoons cold water (for cornstarch slurry)

Instructions

Reduce the apple cider: Pour 2 cups apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 1 cup (240ml), about 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
Season and sear the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the same skillet and cook 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer onion and garlic to the crockpot.
Layer ingredients in the crockpot: Add sliced carrots and celery. Place seared chicken on top. Sprinkle chopped apples around and over chicken. Tuck thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves in between. Pour reduced apple cider and chicken broth over the top. Do not stir.
Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
Shred the chicken: Remove chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones if using bone-in thighs. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot.
Thicken the broth (optional): Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Stir slurry into stew. Cook on high for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
Finish and serve: Remove thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If too sweet, add a splash of apple cider vinegar. If too tart, add a pinch of brown sugar. Serve hot.

Notes

Don’t skip searing the chicken—it builds deep flavor. Reduce the apple cider to concentrate flavor and avoid watery stew. For firmer apple chunks, add apples halfway through cooking. Leftovers taste even better the next day. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5
Calories: 380
Sugar: 18
Sodium: 680
Fat: 14
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 4
Protein: 32

Keywords: crockpot chicken stew, apple cider stew, slow cooker chicken, fall stew, comfort food, easy dinner, chicken and apple stew