Description
A comforting and hearty summer chicken stew featuring tender chicken thighs simmered with leeks, garlic, thyme, new potatoes, green beans, and peas, finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon for a bright, vibrant flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g leeks, finely sliced
- 2 plump garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 500g new potatoes, larger ones quartered, smaller ones halved
- 350ml chicken stock
- 200g green beans
- 350g frozen petit pois
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish over medium heat. Add the finely sliced leeks, garlic, and the picked thyme leaves. Cover the dish and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Add chicken and potatoes: Season the skinless, boneless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Tip them into the casserole dish along with the quartered or halved new potatoes. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the stew: Pour in the 350ml of chicken stock, allowing the liquid to come to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid, and allow the stew to cook gently for 35 minutes to let the flavors meld and the chicken become tender.
- Add green beans and peas: For the final 10 minutes of cooking, add the green beans and frozen petit pois to the dish. Continue to simmer gently until the vegetables are cooked but still retain some bite.
- Finish and serve: Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls or lipped plates and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over, adding a refreshing and zesty finish.
Notes
- Make sure to slice the leeks and garlic finely to maximize their flavor release during the gentle cooking process.
- The chicken thighs can be substituted with chicken breasts if preferred, but thighs offer more tenderness and flavor.
- Use fresh thyme if possible, as it imparts a more aromatic herb flavor than dried.
- Adjust the seasoning toward the end of cooking to get the perfect balance based on the saltiness of your chicken stock.
- This stew can be prepared in advance and reheated; the flavors often deepen after resting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: chicken stew, summer stew, chicken thighs, new potatoes, green beans, petit pois, leek, thyme, easy dinner, one-pot meal
