Retro Chicken Stew

Retro Chicken Stew

When the temperatures dip well below zero your home becomes a warm and cozy sanctuary from the elements. Nippy weather has me dreaming of comfort foods from my childhood. Nostalgic recipes resurface that remind me of growing up in Southern Ontario. As a child we used to take a Sunday drive to the historical town of St. Jacobs and have lunch at The Stone Crock. There was always a wait but the fact that there was something for every member of the family made it worthwhile. I remember the Chunky Cheddar Cheese Bread that I could also find next door at the bakery or on Thursdays and Saturdays baked by the loving hands of the local Mennonite ladies. This recipe is a little sweeter than I like personally but with a little tweaking it will be "the one". Will it ever be delicious toasted or made into an enviable grilled cheese sandwich. The chicken stew is a riff on what came in a can in my childhood home but it also brought back fond memories. It was livened up by dried herbs crumbled in from the rooftop garden of my friend Dina. A reminder of warmer days to come.

**Retro Chicken Stew**

4 chicken breasts, approximately 1-1/2 lbs, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 celery stalk, diced

5 tablespoons flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/3 teaspoon sage

salt and pepper to taste 

1-1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup white wine

4 cups good quality chicken stock or broth

1 cup green beans 

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Do not cook completely as it will be added into the stew later.  Remove from pot and set aside. 

Cook onion, and celery in remaining oil for about 3 minutes or until onion is slightly softened. Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour, seasonings and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. 

Add potatoes, white wine,  and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. In last 10 minutes add sliced carrots.

Thicken if desired (below) and simmer an additional 10 minutes uncovered.

To thicken: In mason jar combine remaining 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup of water or broth. Shake very well. (ensure there are no lumps) and add a little at a time to boiling stew to reach the desired consistency. 

In last 5 minutes of cooking remove lid and stir in green beans and cream. 

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.