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Recipe

Serves

5 1×

Serves 5Prep 15 minCook 6HTotal 6H15 min

Ingredients

  • 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 700 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
  • 2 red peppers, cut into strips
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 400 ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Handful fresh parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 lime

Method

  1. Put the sweet potato, peppers and onion in the base of the slow cooker.
  2. Sit the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.
  3. Whisk the garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, tomatoes, stock, tomato puree, salt and pepper together and pour over.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3 and a half hours, until the chicken shreds easily and the sweet potato is tender.
  5. Lift out the chicken and shred with two forks, then stir back into the stew.
  6. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning.
  7. Rest 10 minutes with the lid off to thicken slightly.
  8. Serve in bowls scattered with parsley, with rice, crusty bread or over grains.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

Chicken and sweet potato stew with shredded chicken, red peppers and parsley in a cream stoneware bowl

Slow cooker chicken and sweet potato stew does the work while you are out.

Chicken thighs braise with sweet potato, peppers and smoked paprika until the meat shreds into a rich, deeply savoury sauce.

Load everything at midday, eat at seven, no stirring needed.

Recipe

JUMP TO RECIPE

Servings: 5
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours on LOW
Total time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Tips

  • Keep the lid closed; each peek adds about 15 minutes to the cooking time. Slow cooking relies on steady heat, so lifting the lid interrupts the cooking process. Check the stew when the stated cooking time is nearly complete rather than opening the cooker repeatedly.
  • Thighs stay juicy through the long cook; breast turns dry. The recipe uses boneless, skinless thighs, which are easy to shred once cooked. After lifting them out, use two forks to pull the meat apart, then return it to the cooker so it mixes through the sauce.
  • Sweet potato on the base softens into the sauce and thickens it naturally. Cut the pieces into 3 cm chunks as specified so they soften during the cooking time without disappearing into the stew. Keep them in the bottom layer beneath the chicken.
  • The final 10-minute rest with the lid off allows the stew to thicken slightly. If the sauce looks looser than you prefer before serving, give it the full resting time, then stir before ladling into bowls.
  • Add the lime juice after cooking, as directed, and check the seasoning at the same point. This lets you assess the finished sauce before serving. Scatter the chopped parsley over the bowls at the end.

Variations

  • Add a tin of drained black beans for the last hour. Stir them into the stew during the final hour of cooking so they warm through without being present for the full cook.
  • Stir in 100 g spinach just before serving. Mix it through the hot stew until it is incorporated, then serve.
  • Make it spicy with a chopped chipotle in adobo. Add the chopped chipotle to the tomato and stock mixture before pouring it over the chicken and vegetables. The stew will take on a smoky, spicy flavour alongside the smoked paprika.
  • Choose a serving base to suit the meal. Serve the stew in bowls with rice, crusty bread or over grains, as specified in the method. These options also make it straightforward to use the same batch for different meals.

FAQ

Q: Can I cook it overnight?
A: Yes, on LOW, then refrigerate and reheat at dinner time. Once cooking is complete, refrigerate the stew rather than leaving it at room temperature until dinner. Reheat it thoroughly before serving.

Q: Can I freeze it?
A: Freezes well for up to 3 months; defrost and reheat until steaming. Divide the stew into suitable portions before freezing if you want to take out only what you need. Defrost it before reheating, and make sure it is steaming throughout before serving.

Q: Can I use chicken breast?
A: You can, but reduce to 4 hours on LOW to keep it from drying out. The recipe is written for thighs, which stay juicy through the long cook. If using breast, follow the shorter cooking time and check that the chicken is cooked through before shredding.

Q: Is it suitable for a gluten-free diet?
A: Yes, as written; check your stock if using a commercial one. Ingredients in commercial stock can vary, so review the product information before using it. The stew can be served with rice or over grains; check those products too if you need to confirm they meet your dietary requirements.

Q: Can I prepare the vegetables in advance?
A: The sweet potato, peppers and onion can be cut before cooking. Keep the prepared ingredients refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the slow cooker. Add them to the base, place the chicken on top, then pour over the whisked sauce mixture and begin cooking.

Q: Do I need to stir the stew while it cooks?
A: No. Keep the lid closed during cooking, as directed. When the chicken is tender and the sweet potato is soft, shred the chicken and stir it back into the stew. Add the lime juice, check the seasoning, then leave the lid off for 10 minutes before serving.