Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew

If you have been looking for a new winter stew to warm you up, this should be added to your menu!

Spring is around the corner but while most of the country has experienced some beautiful weather, it IS just February. Snow, cold, sub-zero temps, ice storms, chilly wind, and slushy-sloshy weather are still an imminent reality. So keep your eye out for flower buds and the tell tale bobbing of a robin across the lawn, but keep your boots, muffler, and this stew, handy.

The beauty of this recipe is that it is a bit of a chameleon.  You can eat it if you are gluten-free or dairy free, you can freeze it ahead of time if you are busy, and the ingredients are a cinch to prep ahead if you need to have it handy for a weeknight. It is also mostly paleo with a few modifications (read: wine) so depending on how hard core you are, this might work for you. Ultimately, it is incredibly hearty with the sweet potatoes and carrots, but surprisingly light. Warms you up and fills your tummy without weighing you down with any heavy ingredients. It has become a favorite this season at our house and will be part of our menus for years to come! Obviously I had to share it here. That is what this space is for! Making sure you get to see all the best that can come out of my kitchen, making it a bit easier for YOU to create successful edibles out of yours.

Truly scrumptious! Hope you try this one-its a WINNER!

What is YOUR favorite ‘warm me up’ kind of food? Chili? Pasta? Soup? Leave a comment below and share it with us!
Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew
Recipe adapted from OAMM

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 large carrots, cubed (2-3 cups)
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
1 Onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 T of butter, olive oil, grapeseed or coconut oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1 c of dry white wine
1-32 oz carton, good quality chicken broth-I like the Swanson low sodium, 99% fat free or use homemade if you can
1 T arrowroot, optional

Add the butter or oil to a large, heavy bottomed stew pot. Brown the chicken over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. You want the chicken to get some color on it so don’t crowd the pan or the meat will steam. You may need to do it in batches and it does NOT need to be cooked all the way through. When brown all over, remove to a plate and set aside. If pan is dry, add a bit more butter or oil, and dump in all the veggies. Season with salt and pepper and add the dried thyme. Let cook over medium heat, stirring often, sautéing the veggies, but not letting them burn. When the largest pieces of carrot are just starting to soften, add the white wine and stir, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan. This is BIG TIME FLAVOR! Let the wine reduce by half and add the bay leaf, chicken and any juices on the plate, and chicken broth. Stir, bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cover. Now. You can either slip this into a 350 degree oven for a half hour, or let is just slowly simmer away on the stove top. It is up to you. Either way, let it slowly cook until the veggies are just crisp tender. Not too mushy! When you stir it, depending on your veggies and your stove, there maybe a lot of liquid left or not. If you want to thicken any broth left in the pan, add the tablespoon of arrowroot, stir well to dissolve and heat gently until thick. This is totally optional so YOU make the call. If you want to freeze it, cool to room temp and seal in an airtight container. Otherwise just spoon into bowls and enjoy!!