Hello hello and welcome to soup town! We’re so glad you’re here. We’re easing into The Soup Series with a warm, rustic, cozy country chicken stew that will slow you down and fill you up in all the very best ways.

Our first soup is a love letter to slow food and an absolute stunner: juicy chicken cooked right in the stew, shredded piles of cabbage and chomps of tender carrot, almost creamy beans, and a rich, smoky broth thanks to a bacon, onion and garlic build. We’re here for all of it.

So, this isn’t necessarily like a hectic Tuesday kind of soup, it’s a little more involved. Think more of a slow-quiet Sunday kind of soup. A zen at the end of a long week Friday night dinner. An evening when you just want some quiet time in the kitchen sort of meal. It will take you a bit to bring it together, with a little bit of pre-planning involved (there’s a bean-soak situation coming your way, please trust us), but don’t be mad. Every single step will be worth it.

What Goodness Is In This Chicken Stew?

Longer on time, yes, but the ingredient list is pretty simple and for that, we are #blessed.

• whole chicken (about 4lbs)
• dried navy beans
• bacon
• onion, garlic & herbs
• water
• carrots & cabbage for veggie goodness
• a swoop of red wine vinegar or squeeze of lemon to finish.

How To Make This Chicken Stew Happen

Are we in a fight? Bean-soaking?!

Yes. Okay, sure you *could* use a can of beans. We tried it. It works. But listen, there is something so special about using fresh beans and yes that involves soaking them first for a good long while. So you will have to remember in the morning, or even better the night before, to put them in some water. But that’s it! Just put them in there, give a little side-eye if you’re a teensy bit upset about this extra step, and then walk away! Don’t even think about them. We promise the richness and thickness and texture (they hold up better than canned) delivered in this stew is so A+ 100 WE WOULD NOT LIE.

We prefer paper-thin slices of onion and garlic for this one, just because it makes everything feel a little more texturally pleasing, but you could certainly do a rough chop of those if that’s more your style.

Get those going with some smoky bacon – and please note, the thicker cut bacon holds up better and turns into the most delectable little meaty bits in the final stew. If you don’t have that though, the regular thin-sliced totally works and you can just pull out any squigglers at the end before serving if it becomes a texture issue. It’s really all about the flavor depth it brings from the start.

And then we just plopped a whole ding dang chicken in there.

It truly is the most foolproof way to cook a whole chicken. You can’t mess it up. And the richness that using the whole bird brings to the broth is truly unsurpassed. Do it and do it now. We promise the little guy will cook in an hour.

1. Pre-soak your beans (4-12 hours).

2. Sauté bacon, onion, and garlic.

3. Plop in the beans and the seasoned bird (just a salt & pepp rub under the skin if you can manage).

4. Toss in a little herb bundle, tied up for easy removal.

5. Cover with water, then lid it and walk away.

6. When chicken is done, pull out and shred. Add half of the shredded chicken back into the stew. Reserve the other half for some yums later in the week or toss in the freezer!

7. Add carrots and cabbage and cook until soft.

8. Top with some more fresh herbs and a little swish of something acidic to bring it to life.

Delicious, Humble, and So Cozy

Listen, coming hot off the SOS series, the process might feel a little extra here, but SO IS THE FLAVOR.

The texture and heartiness, the almost creamy thickness of the broth thanks to the dried beans and the whole chicken, the piles of veggies, the bread dips that are so very welcome to pass through here (hello no knead bread anyone?). We really can’t stop making this one – even with that whole bean-soaking thing.

So, though it might be a bit of a jaunt from the quick weeknight dinner path, we swear every patient second will be rewarded with a house filled with the warmest of warms while you breathe in the change of season with a humble little bowl of deep rich cozy deliciousness.

Country Chicken Stew: FAQs

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Source Notes: This recipe was inspired by a French bean and chicken stew in the book Jamie Oliver’s Food Escapes – reading his description about making this in the French countryside sent me straight into the kitchen with a glass of wine and a big soup pot to channel all the country chicken stew vibes. Jamie’s recipe uses the bean soak method which I was unsure about at first, but it really does make the texture of the soup and broth so awesome. According to his notes, you can sub chicken thighs for the whole chicken, but this is a really great (read: easy) gateway into cooking a whole chicken if that’s something that you’re looking to add to your repertoire (not to mention getting some life-changingly delicious broth out of the deal).

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We Can’t Get Enough Chicken Soups! See?

• Crockpot Chicken Wild Rice Soup (it’s classic, it’s cozy, it’s exactly what you need)
• Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup (pasta in soup? hello, beautiful!)
• Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo (you’ll never guess what gives this dairy-free soup its creaminess)

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