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Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Stew, Easy High Protein Fall Dinners the Whole Family Will Actually Eat
Brittany Stage

Slow Cooker Chicken and White Bean Stew

Bone-in chicken thighs braise slowly with white beans, diced tomatoes, rosemary, and garlic until the meat falls right off the bone and the beans soak up every bit of savory broth. Shred the chicken directly into the pot and serve with crusty bread for an easy, protein-packed fall dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 5 to 6 thighs
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into coins
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary crumbled between your fingers to release the oils
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach stirred in at the end, optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice squeezed in just before serving

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • two forks for shredding
  • cutting board

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Lay them in the bottom of the slow cooker insert skin-side up. Drying and seasoning the chicken at this stage gives the finished stew better depth of flavor even without browning.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the tomato paste, olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and smoked paprika until it forms a rough paste. Spoon this mixture over the top of the chicken thighs and spread it out loosely. It will melt down into the broth as the stew cooks.
  3. Scatter the diced onion, celery, and carrots around and on top of the chicken. Pour the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth over everything. Give the liquid a gentle stir around the edges to combine.
  4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The chicken is ready when it is completely fall-off-the-bone tender and registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part.
  5. About 1 hour before the cooking time ends, stir in the drained cannellini beans. Replace the lid and let them finish cooking with the stew so they are warmed through and creamy but still hold their shape.
  6. Use tongs to lift the chicken thighs out of the slow cooker onto a cutting board. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Use two forks to shred the meat into large, rustic pieces and stir it back into the stew.
  7. Stir in the baby spinach if using and squeeze in the lemon juice. Let the spinach wilt for about 2 minutes with the lid off. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into deep bowls and serve with a thick slice of crusty bread for soaking up the broth.

Notes

Add the white beans only in the final hour of cooking so they stay creamy and intact rather than mushy. The stew reheats beautifully and the broth gets even more flavorful the next day.