Amazing 40-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Stew

There is simply nothing better on a chilly evening than a big, steaming bowl of homemade stew, right? Forget that idea that it takes all day to get that rich, savory broth flavour, because I cracked the code! I stumbled onto this method last winter when I realized I had exactly 40 minutes between soccer practice pickup and when my husband got home and everyone was *starving*. This Instant Pot Chicken Stew recipe is my absolute weeknight hero. It uses the high pressure to concentrate all those lovely herbs and chicken juices so you get hours of slow-cooked taste in mere minutes. Trust me, you need this magic in your kitchen rotation!

Why This Instant Pot Chicken Stew Recipe Works So Well

I know what you might be thinking—Instant Pot recipes often taste rushed, right? Not this time! The magic of using this cooker for stew is that it turbo-charges the flavour development. It truly mimics what would usually take four hours on the stovetop, and you get to skip all that simmering time. It’s honestly revolutionary for weeknight dinners.

• Our family has seriously improved our baking, too! If you want to read some other game-changing advice that applies to just about everything, check out these baking tips for better results.

Speed and Efficiency in Making Instant Pot Chicken Stew

The best part is that the actual pressure cooking time for this Instant Pot Chicken Stew is only 10 minutes! Ten minutes! That’s barely enough time to chop the carrots usually. Because the pressure cooker traps all that steam and heat, everything cooks through perfectly fast. This is what makes it such a champion recipe when you’re trying to get dinner on the table quickly.

Flavor Depth in Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

The pressure locks everything in. Instead of flavour evaporating into the air, it dives deep into the chicken and vegetables. We use the Sauté setting first to brown the chicken; please don’t skip that! Searing the chicken thighs creates those delicious brown bits on the bottom of the pot that build the flavour foundation. When you deglaze it with broth, all that goodness gets absorbed into the stew rather than shrinking away.

Gathering Ingredients for Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Okay, let’s talk supplies! Getting the right foundation is everything, especially when you’re relying on speed. For this Instant Pot Chicken Stew, we’re keeping the vegetable list tight so we don’t overwhelm the pot, but we are using the best chicken cut possible. Chicken thighs are non-negotiable here; they stay tender even under high pressure. Please don’t try to substitute them with breasts unless you want sad, dried-out cubes!

Don’t worry about finding obscure items here. Most of this you probably have right now, but make sure your broth is top-notch because that’s the main liquid flavour base. If you ever wonder about odd substitutions in your cooking, like what to do if you are out of buttermilk, I found this great guide on making buttermilk substitutions that has saved me a few times!

Key Components for the Best Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Here’s the list—write it down so you don’t forget anything when you rush to the store! We need about 2 pounds of those boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut down into nice, bite-sized 1-inch chunks. You’ll also need one whole large onion, chopped up, and two carrots sliced, plus two celery stalks, also sliced. Don’t forget the three cloves of garlic, minced finely—that really wakes everything up!

For the broth, measure out 4 cups of chicken broth. The herbs are simple: 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and half a teaspoon of dried rosemary, plus one bay leaf to steep in the pressure. And for thickening, remember we make a slurry at the end: that’s half a cup of all-purpose flour whisked together with half a cup of cold water. Keep those measurements exact!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Alright, time to put the pedal to the metal! This is where the magic happens, and thanks to the Instant Pot, you don’t need loads of time to build up that amazing stew flavour. Remember, prepping properly at the beginning saves you stress later, especially with pressure cooking. For thicker stew, try checking out how they handle timing in this other Instant Pot recipe—it sometimes helps with managing the cook cycle.

Searing and Sautéing for Deep Instant Pot Chicken Stew Flavor

First things first: set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode. Drop in that olive oil. When it shimmers, add your cut chicken pieces. Now, listen up: don’t cram them all in there! If you overcrowd the pot, the chicken steams instead of searing, and we lose flavour. So, sear in batches until they get a nice light brown crust on all sides, then scoop that goodness out and set it aside. Next, toss in your onion, carrots, and celery. Let those sweat down for about five minutes until they start getting soft. After that, throw in the minced garlic for just one more minute until you can really smell it wake up the kitchen.

Pressure Cooking the Instant Pot Chicken Stew Base

This is the official flavour-building spot! Stir in the broth, thyme, rosemary, and that bay leaf. Now, grab a wooden spoon and scrape the absolute bottom of the pot really well. I mean it! You must scrape up every single brown bit, or you’ll get that dreaded “Burn” notice later. Once the bottom is clean, put the chicken back in. Secure the lid, set that valve to sealing, and lock it down for 10 minutes on High Pressure. When the timer ends, walk away for 10 minutes! That’s the Natural Pressure Release (NPR) we need. After 10 minutes of NPR, you can carefully quick release any hiss left over.

Thickening and Finishing Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Time to remove that flavour-packed bay leaf—it’s done its job! Now we make it stewy. In a tiny separate bowl, whisk that 1/2 cup of flour with the 1/2 cup of cold water until it’s perfectly smooth; that’s your slurry. Set the Instant Pot back to “Sauté” (use low heat if you can). Slowly pour in that slurry while stirring constantly. Keep stirring for about three to five minutes until you see the stew visibly thicken up. Seriously, it gets luxurious fast! Once it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stir in those frozen peas until they turn bright green and warm through. Taste it—add salt and pepper until it sings!

Tips for Success When Making Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Even with a quick recipe like this, a few little tricks can take your Instant Pot Chicken Stew from good to absolutely phenomenal. I’ve learned that once you master the basics, you can play with the texture a little bit. If your stew seems too thin after adding the slurry, don’t panic! We can fix that in minutes.

Speaking of flavour—I can’t stress enough how much using a really high-quality chicken broth improves the final product. You want one that tastes rich on its own, not watery. A good broth is like the foundation of a house; if it’s weak, the whole thing wobbles. Even when we’re rushing through this quick dinner, I always grab the best broth I can find.

And hey, if you’re trying to boost your overall cooking confidence, I always refer back to these great baking tips! They really make you pay attention to the little things, which is exactly what makes stew great, too.

Adjusting Consistency in Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

So, you’ve stirred in your flour and water slurry, and it’s just not quite as thick as you dreamed? Maybe you used a slightly less starchy flour, or maybe you just prefer a hug-in-a-bowl consistency! You don’t have to worry about starting over. You just make a *second*, smaller slurry. Take another tablespoon or two of flour, mix it with a little cold water until it’s smooth, and stir that into your simmering stew on the Sauté setting.

Conversely, if you find you’ve gone too thick—maybe you like yours almost gravy-like—you can thin it out easily with a splash or two of extra chicken broth or even just plain water. Keep stirring until you hit the perfect texture. If you know ahead of time you want it super thick, remember that little note? Just bump that first slurry up to use 3/4 cup of flour with 3/4 cup of water instead of the half-cup measurement. That extra base flour really gives you a hearty pot of Instant Pot Chicken Stew!

Variations for Your Chicken Stew Instant Pot Meal

This basic Instant Pot Chicken Stew recipe is fantastic exactly as written, but you know me—I love to tweak things! Once you’ve mastered the core process, it’s fun to switch things up so you never get bored eating the same thing twice a week. Since we control the pressure cooker cycle so tightly, we have to be smart about adding things that need longer cooking times.

Adding Different Root Vegetables to the Instant Pot Chicken Stew

If you want to make this a true ‘everything-but-the-kitchen-sink’ kind of stew, potatoes are your best friend. I usually like to use small Yukon Golds, scrubbed well, and halved or quartered. Here’s the trick: If you add potatoes or parsnips *before* you pressure cook (with the carrots and onions), you should bump that high-pressure cook time up just a tiny bit. Maybe give it 12 minutes instead of 10. Any longer and everything gets a little mushy. Remember, the peas go in at the very end after pressure cooking, so they stay bright and firm!

Herb and Spice Twists for Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Sometimes I need a little warmth or smokiness in my stew, especially if I’m serving it with something plain, like crusty bread. My quick fix doesn’t involve adding any extra cooking time at all! Right when I sauté the initial vegetables, I throw in a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Wow, what a difference! It gives the whole pot a deeper, almost campfire-cooked flavour without any extra effort.

Another trick that my neighbour taught me involves making the broth punchier. If you have Worcestershire sauce on hand—just a tiny dash, maybe a teaspoon—add it while you’re scraping the bottom of the pot before sealing it up. It adds that deep, savory umami note that really complements the herbs. It’s weirdly complex flavour coming from such a simple addition. Try it next time you are making this Instant Pot Chicken Stew; you won’t regret the extra depth!

Serving Suggestions for Instant Pot Chicken Stew

So, you’ve got this gorgeous, thick, flavour-packed Instant Pot Chicken Stew sitting steaming hot in your pressure cooker. What do we serve it with? You can absolutely just eat it straight out of the bowl with a big spoon, and honestly, I do that half the time when I’m exhausted. But if you want to turn this quick dinner into a real cozy meal experience, you need a proper companion for mopping up every last drop of that amazing broth.

My absolute first choice, every single time, is something bready! When you’ve spent all that time building flavour in the pot, you can’t let it go to waste sitting at the bottom of the bowl. I love serving this stew with fresh, crusty bread. Heck, if I have the energy, I’ll whip up some quick homemade rolls. If you’re looking for a recipe that pairs perfectly with this hearty stew, check out how simple it is to make amazing homemade bread rolls!

If baking rolls feels like too much effort after a long day, don’t sweat it! A good quality sourdough loaf from the bakery works just as well. You just slice it thickly and let it sit right next to the bowl so everyone can dunk it in. The crust soaks up the juices so perfectly.

Alternatively, if you want to keep it low-carb or just want something softer to mix in, a creamy base is fantastic. Try serving a scoop of this hot stew right over a mashed potato base, or even some fluffy quick-cooking polenta if you have it. The starch acts like a sponge, soaking up that thyme and rosemary goodness. Whatever you choose, the key is pairing it with something that can handle a hearty, rich stew like this one!

Storing and Reheating Your Leftover Instant Pot Chicken Stew

When I make this Instant Pot Chicken Stew, I always make a double batch because leftovers are honestly even better the next day. That extra time allows the vegetables to fully soak up the broth, and the chicken just gets more tender—it’s amazing! Storing it right is key to keeping that texture perfect for the next meal.

If you’re planning on eating it within four days, the fridge is your best friend. Just let the stew cool slightly on the counter—don’t put scorching hot food directly into the fridge, it can mess with the temperature of other items. Then transfer it to an airtight container. Chicken thighs handle refrigeration really well and don’t dry out like breasts do, which is another win for using thighs in this recipe!

For long-term storage? Freeze it! This stew freezes beautifully. I always use heavy-duty freezer bags laid flat on a baking sheet so they freeze quickly and stack nicely once solid. Once frozen, just pop them upright in the freezer. It keeps great for up to three months, maybe even longer, but I promise it never lasts that long in my house.

The Best Way to Reheat Your Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Reheating is simple, but you have to be gentle, especially since we thickened this stew with a slurry. If you blast it on high heat in the microwave, the bottom can sometimes get too thick or the liquid might separate a little. My go-to method is always the stovetop.

Toss the desired amount of stew into a saucepan over medium-low heat. You’ll want to stir it frequently. If it seems just a little too gloopy or thick after thawing, stir in a splash of extra chicken broth or even just water while it heats up, just like we did when thickening it originally. Heat it slowly until it’s steaming hot all the way through. That gentle heat coaxes the texture back to its creamy, delicious state.

If you’re in a huge rush and must use the microwave, put a lid on loosely or use a paper towel over the top to prevent splattering! Heat in 60-second bursts, stirring well in between each burst until it reaches your desired temperature. But honestly, the slow, gentle heat of the saucepan really preserves that wonderful homemade texture we worked so hard to create!

Frequently Asked Questions About Instant Pot Chicken Stew

It’s totally normal to have questions when diving into a new appliance like the Instant Pot, especially when you’re trying to whip up a reliable quick dinner. I’ve answered the ones I hear most often from folks trying out my Instant Pot Chicken Stew recipe for the first time. Don’t sweat the small stuff; we’ll get that perfect stew every time!

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs in this Instant Pot Chicken Stew?

Ugh, I really wish you didn’t have to! Chicken thighs are my hill, and I will die on it for this recipe! Thighs have more fat, and that fat keeps them moist and tender under the high pressure, which is important when cooking for only 10 minutes. If you absolutely must use chicken breast, you can, but you HAVE to adjust the time or they will turn out dry and stringy.

If you use breast meat, I would drop the pressure cook time down to just 6 or maybe 8 minutes maximum on High Pressure. Even with the 10-minute Natural Release, lean meat just doesn’t hold up the same way. If you go that route, make sure you cut the breast meat smaller than 1-inch pieces, too, just to be safe!

Why did my Instant Pot Chicken Stew give a ‘Burn’ warning?

Oh, that dreaded Burn warning! It pops up when the sensor at the bottom of the pot detects solids, like flour or, worse, chicken bits, sticking to the metal before it can come up to pressure. This usually means the bottom wasn’t scraped clean enough before you sealed the lid.

Remember what I said about the slurry? You have to scrape the bottom vigorously before sealing it for the 10-minute cook cycle. Make sure every single browned bit that came off the chicken during searing is totally lifted up by the broth. If you see any flour residue stuck anywhere, wipe it away! That’s the secret to avoiding that interruption when you’re aiming for a true quick dinner.

How do I make this Instant Pot Chicken Stew recipe low-sodium?

That’s a great question, especially since the broth is such a big part of this recipe. Store-bought chicken broth can be incredibly high in sodium, which really spikes the overall count for what is otherwise a pretty healthy meal. The easiest fix is to swap out your standard broth for low-sodium chicken broth. If you can’t find that, just dilute your regular broth a bit with water, maybe use 3 cups of broth and 1 cup of water.

Since you are controlling the salt at the very end—after the long cook time—you can add less of your own salt and pepper during the thickening stage. Taste-test carefully! You can always add more salt, but you can’t really take it out once it’s in there for your Instant Pot Chicken Stew.

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Instant Pot Chicken Stew

Now, I’m definitely not a nutritionist, and I just whip this Instant Pot Chicken Stew up because it tastes amazing and feeds us fast, but I did pull up the basic numbers for you all. If you tend to track things, this gives you a good baseline for what’s in one standard serving size (which is about 1.5 cups of stew). It’s honestly a great, balanced meal, packing a serious punch of protein!

Here’s what the label usually says for one serving:

• Calories: Around 350
• Protein: That’s the superstar here—about 35 grams!
• Fat: Around 12 grams total.
• Carbohydrates: About 25 grams.

Just a friendly little heads-up, though—these numbers swing around depending on what you do! If you use low-sodium broth, your sodium count goes way down. Also, if you decide to beef up that slurry by using an extra half-cup of flour like I mentioned in the tips section, you’re definitely going to increase the carb content and calories, so keep an eye on that. This recipe naturally keeps the fat pretty lean, especially since we trim the skin off the chicken thighs before browning!

But for a hearty, comforting stew that comes together in under an hour including cleanup, these figures look pretty fantastic to me. Enjoy knowing you fed your family something wholesome and delicious without spending all evening over a hot stove!

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