This Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew is bound to be your new favorite winter comfort food! It’s hearty, creamy, cheesy and loaded with vegetables! The crockpot makes it an easy weeknight meal.
Looking for more cozy crockpot meals? Check out my 15 Best Crockpot Meals or these easy Dump ‘n’ Go Slow Cooker recipes that are quick to prep but the whole family will love!
You guys.
I love hearty, creamy, winter comfort food. I can’t get enough.
I’ll eat soup and stew all year round, but there is just something so perfectly cozy about a big bowl of stew on a cold day. Especially one that cooks itself in the crockpot when you’re out in the cold!
If you love a cozy crockpot full of soup, stew, or stoup as much as I do, you’ll also love this Crockpot Potato Soup, this Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup and this Spinach Tortellini Soup.
Looking for a classic chicken stew? Try my Crockpot Chicken Stew!
Ingredients and substitutions for this Chicken Stew:
- Chicken breasts: we always have a big stash of chicken breasts in the freezer so that’s what I use in most of my soups and stews. You can swap these for boneless, skinless chicken thighs or even precooked, chopped chicken if you have some on hand (maybe you made a big batch of this Crockpot Shredded Chicken?)
- Vegetables: I stuck with classic vegetables in this stew, but you can leave some out if your family doesn’t enjoy them, or add in extra! The only thing you need to keep in mind is that some are best added at the beginning (the ones that take a long time to cook) and some are best added at the end, like green beans, frozen vegetables, chopped spinach or kale.
- Seasoning: I kept my seasoning simple, but you can always scan your spice drawer for something that inspires you. Just keep your herbs and spices to things that go well with that tangy, salty Parmesan flavor.
- Cream: Heavy cream will give you the thickest stew and richest flavor, but you can swap this out for any cream you have on hand (it will just be a little thinner, and not quite as rich). One of my favorite swaps for heavy cream in soups is evaporated milk, because I can stash a few cans in the cupboard and it is still thick and creamy.
- Parmesan: If you’re concerned about the flavor of the Parmesan in this stew (first, who are you?!? Kidding 😉 ), start by adding a little, or leave it out of the stew and add it to each bowl individually. We love the flavor, but everyone has their preferences!
More cozy soups and stews!
Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 lb red potatoes (cut into ½" pieces)
- 2 large carrots (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 1 rib celery (chopped)
- ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1½ teaspoon salt*
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb)
- 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add potatoes, celery, onion, carrots, garlic, salt, parsley, Italian seasoning, and pepper to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Whisk together the broth and corn starch and add into the slow cooker with the cream.
- Add the chicken breasts and press down slightly into the liquid.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until potatoes are tender (this could longer depending on the temperature of your slow cooker — cutting them smaller will speed up cooking time).
- Remove chicken breasts and chop or shred. Stir back into the slow cooker with the peas (if using) and Parmesan.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping (the best way!).
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Tara says
Hello!! I’ve been making this stew a few times and has always been great. I noticed you updated this recently to have the cream put in at the start. This caused mine to curdle 🙁 is there something I’m doing wrong or do I just need to wait for the end?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Tara! I’m sorry to hear that. Heavy cream shouldn’t curdle, but the corn starch can become clumped if it is not whisked in completely. If it separates during the cook time, you should be able to stir it back together.
Melissa Thompson says
Absolutely delicious! This is a definite keeper and I know I’ll be making it again.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Melissa!
Jim Martin says
I love this recipe. I made a few modifications. First don’t shred the chicken. Cube it and brown it first then throw it in the crockpot. Second, add about half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give it some subtle heat. Third, sprinkle the parm over the dish after plating.
Another suggestion: double the starch to thicken it more and then dump into a baking dish with biscuit dough. Perfect chicken and dumplings. Also could thicken more and put into a pie crust and it would work for chicken pot pie.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Jim!
Kit says
The video and the instructions don’t seem to match up – the video shows the cream going in closer to the end with the parmesan after some cooking takes place but the instructions show the cream going in before the chicken, before any cooking starts. Can you clarify which one to follow? Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry about that! The video is old and the updated on has not yet been uploaded. I’ve removed it for the time being to clear up any confusion.
Erin ANLEY says
Still confused as to when the cream goes in because the recipe instructions doesn’t mention the cream at all?
Ashley Fehr says
See step 2
Anna D says
This soups is amazing!!! I think it is very flavorful and a perfect fall soup!! I was super nervous at first because I accidentally added the parmesan in with all the ingredients at the beginning but it turned out delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Sara H says
This has become a staple in my house every fall and winter. I’d say I’ve made it at least a dozen times so far! I have found for us: I do less chicken (2 chicken breasts instead of 3), more vegetables (usually 1.5 times the amount listed for carrots and celery), and I double the amount of Parmesan cheese because we like our cheese! 🙂 I also use heaping teaspoons of the spices rather than exact. I don’t think this stew is tasteless at all – it’s become one of my comfort foods!
Sara H says
Oh I also wanted to ask – if I wanted to use the slow cooker but wanted it done sooner, could I cook on high? If so how long would you recommend? I haven’t tried this yet.
Ashley Fehr says
Yes you can do that! High would take about half as long.
Janet says
Could you please post Nutritional numbers and show the serving size also. Thank you!
I really want to make this but my son has a very problematic stomach and just can’t eat like other people per Dr.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Janet! I do include nutrition information on most of my recipes but not all have been updated. If you have specific dietary needs, it’s always best to do your own calculations using the brands you use.
Judi says
Made this today for dinner following the recipe exactly and it was fantastic! My boyfriend had two servings and told me multiple times how great it was. I will definitely make this again. Many of your recipes are in our weekly rotation; thank you for this fabulous addition!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you liked it Judi!
Carola says
You mention evaporated milk as a substitute for heavy cream. Won’t the dish end up too sweet? We don’t have heavy cream in my country. What could I use instead of heavy cream?
I love your receipes 😄
Renee W Brown says
I believe you’re referring to sweetened condensed mik which is VERY sweet. Evaporated milk comes in a can close to the size of a popular condensed milk but not the same. Not sure where you’re from but I would try contacting a restaurant for ingredient to replace evaporated milk. Good cooking!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you! What you have may not be called “heavy cream”, but I’m sure you have cream of some sort. Look for a cream that is around 30-35% fat.
Jenny says
I made this exactly as described but the chicken was overcooked and the potatoes and carrots raw. I had to scoop out the veg and boil it for 15 mins for it to be edible. Next time I would cook the veg separately and less time for the chicken but the sauce itself was really delicious. I added an extra chicken stock cube to add more flavour and about twice as much parmesan.
Erin Browning says
Honesty the best review of this recipe.
Pippa says
Tried making twice incase i made a mistake. The 1″ chicken breast as ready after an hour – After cooking 4 hours on low – as per recipe – was so so so dry and overcooked it was almost inedible. I think the author made a mistake and it’s supposed to go in later?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Pippa! It isn’t an error, but if you are having trouble with the chicken being dry you can definitely add it later. It sounds like your slow cooker may cook on the hotter side, which could mean it doesn’t require quite as long.