This comforting Spanish chicken stew combines chicken, peppers, onion and olives in a delicious tomato based broth. A tasty and warming stew packed with amazing flavors.
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If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like Instant Pot Chicken Stew, sausage and bean stew, slow cooker meatball stew, slow cooker beef stew or beef and ale stew.
Ingredients
To make this amazing Spanish chicken stew, you will need chicken stock, tomato sauce, chicken thighs, black olives, red pepper, garlic cloves, onion, paprika powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, chili powder and olive oil.
I like to use boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets in this recipe, as they are really flavorful and easy to cook, but you can also use chicken breast fillets if you prefer.
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pot, and add the chicken thigh fillets. Season them with salt and pepper, and sear on medium high heat until they have a light golden color on the surface. Flip and repeat on the other side of the fillets.
Remove the chicken from the pot, and set it to the side. Add sliced onion and peppers to the same pot. Sautee these for a few minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add finely grated garlic, and sautee for another minute.
Then, add the remaining ingredients to the pot, except the chicken. Bring the stew to a simmer, and leave it to simmer on medium to low heat for about 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop. Add the chicken thigh fillets, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through completely.
Add any additional seasoning to taste, and serve as is, or with your favorite sides.
Top tips
Here are my top tips to succeed with this recipe:
- Pan searing the chicken thighs before adding them to the stew will give them a much better flavor. Allow them to sear until they are visibly gained a brown or golden color.
- In most cases, you will be able to sautee the onion in the juices from the chicken, without adding any oil. However, if the pot feels dry or the onion is sticking to the bottom of it, you might want to add a teaspoon of olive oil.
Serving suggestions
Spanish chicken stew should be served in a big, warm comforting bowl. You can enjoy it on its own, or serve it with a side if you prefer.
You can serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or vegetables such as air fryer broccoli.
Variations
Although this stew is amazing as is, you can vary it endlessly to suit your preferences. Here are some of my favorite suggestions:
- Add some chorizo for extra flavor
- Add cannellini beans or other white beans to make a more filling stew
- The addition of spinach and sun dried tomatoes is fantastic, and work really well with the other flavors in the stew
- You can add a little red wine for a rounder, more grown up version of the dish.
- Make it spicy with a pinch or two of chili powder
- Replace the tomato sauce with canned diced tomatoes for a chunky stew
Leftovers
This stew stores really well, and I think it tastes even better the next day.
Store it in airtight containers in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or pot for a few minutes, and serve the leftover stew warm.
You can also freeze the chicken stew for up to 6 months. Thaw the stew in a regrigerator overnight before reheating and serving it.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken thighs can be used in a stew either whole or cut in pieces. Brown the surface of the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the stew.
Tomato based stews can be made using diced tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato sauce, jarred pasta sauce, or a combination of the above.
Recipe
Spanish Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken thigh fillets (6-8 fillets)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup tomato sauce (UK: passata)
- 30 olives
- 1 red pepper
- 2 red onions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a pot, and add the chicken thigh fillets. Season them with salt and pepper, and sear on medium high heat until they have a light golden color on the surface. Flip and repeat on the other side of the fillets.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, and set it to the side. Add sliced onion and peppers to the same pot. Sautee these for a few minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add finely grated garlic, and sautee for another minute.
- Then, add the remaining ingredients to the pot, except the chicken. Bring the stew to a simmer, and leave it to simmer on medium to low heat for about 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop. Add the chicken thigh fillets, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through completely.
- Add any additional seasoning to taste, and serve as is, or with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Pan searing the chicken thighs before adding them to the stew will give them a much better flavor. Allow them to sear until they are visibly gained a brown or golden color.
- In most cases, you will be able to sautee the onion in the juices from the chicken, without adding any oil. However, if the pot feels dry or the onion is sticking to the bottom of it, you might want to add a teaspoon of olive oil.
- This stew stores really well, and I think it tastes even better the next day. Store it in airtight containers in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave or pot for a few minutes, and serve the leftover stew warm. You can also freeze the chicken stew for up to 6 months. Thaw the stew in a regrigerator overnight before reheating and serving it.
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