Chicken, Cheddar &
Broccoli Stew.
This creamy, slow-cooker chicken stew is rich, savoury and deeply satisfying. The cheddar melts into a velvety sauce with wine, Dijon and smoked paprika, coating pull-apart chicken thighs. The broccoli and mushrooms kind of melt into the sauce, adding fibre, flavour & nutrients, whilst keeping it hearty and comforting.
Serves 6
Tips & Tricks
Cooking: I use a slow cooker for ease and convenience, but it will also work in the oven at around 150c in a large ceramic pot with a lid.
Wine: The alcohol cooks off of the wine making it perfectly safe for anyone that doesn’t drink alcohol, however it can be replaced with extra stock and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar if preferred.
Veg: Spinach or kale can be stirred through at the end instead of broccoli, if you prefer. Also, if you prefer to keep a little bite to your broccoli, add it later in the cooking.
Cheese: A mature or extra mature cheddar gives the best flavour. Don’t waste your time with mild cheddar in this recipe or you’ll have to add much more to achieve the same flavour.
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
slow cooker
large frying/sauté pan
Ingredients.
1 kg / 2.2 lb chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
1 onion
6 fat cloves of garlic, or more if you like! Go wild…
150 g / 5 oz chestnut mushrooms
1 - 1.5 heads of broccoli (around 300-450g)
200 g / 2 cups mature cheddar cheese, grated
187 ml / ¾ cup dry white wine, 1 small bottle
2 tbsp plain flour
250 ml / 2 cups whole milk
250ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 bay leaves & 5–6 stems thyme, tied in a bouquet garni
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Method.
Heat a large dry frying pan over high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt.
Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and brown the chicken in two batches until golden on both sides. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker once browned.
While the chicken browns, dice the onion, finely chop the garlic, cut the broccoli into small florets, and wipe and thinly slice the mushrooms.
Add the mushrooms to the same pan over high heat and cook until caramelised. Turn the heat to medium, add a splash of olive oil, the onion and smoked paprika, and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
Sprinkle over the flour, stir well, then pour in the wine. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly and the alcohol has cooked off.
Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker with the milk, stock, Dijon mustard, and herbs. Stir gently to combine.
Cover and cook on high in the slow cooker for 4 hours (or low for 6–7 hours).
After 3-3.5 hours (depending on how cooked you want the broccoli), stir in the broccoli florets, re-cover and cook for the remaining 30min-1 hour until the broccoli is tender or melted into the sauce. It should be a little soupy so if it’s dried out, add a splash more milk or stock.
Finally, remove the bouquet garni, break up or lightly shred the chicken, and stir in the cheddar. Once it’s melted into the sauce, give it a final taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with rice, or on a jacket potato and enjoy!
