Hearty Chicken Stew

We roast extra chicken leg pieces for one meal so that we can make this delicious stew for another meal.  We trim and chop the meat for the stew and we use the leg bones to make the chicken stock, so nothing goes to waste. The result is a nourishing meal for 6 to 8 people, with fresh rolls and salad on the side.   We adapted this recipe from one that is featured in the Cook's Illustrated Meat Book, one of our favorite cookbooks.  See our post titled Bone Broth Part 1 for a recipe and instructions for making chicken broth.  

2 pounds leftover chicken from roasted drumsticks, thighs, or a combination, skinned, trimmed, and diced 

3 slices of bacon, chopped, with the fat reserved

1 onion, chopped fine

1 celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 1 teaspoon Red Boat Fish Sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine (optional)

1 tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg's Coconut Liquid Aminos (soy-free)

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound potatoes, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the bacon on medium-low heat in a soup pot for about 6 minutes, then remove it, leaving the rendered fat.  Add the onion, celery, garlic, anchovy paste or fish sauce, and thyme to the pot to cook in the bacon fat for 2 to 4 minutes.  Increase the heat to high and stir in 1 cup of the broth, the wine, and the soy sauce or coconut liquid aminos.  Bring this to a boil and cook for about 12 minutes, then add the butter and let it melt.  Sprinkle the flour over all and stir.  Slowly add the remaining 4 cups of broth, whisking until smooth.  Stir in the diced chicken, potatoes, and carrots, and bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes.  Once the potatoes and carrots are soft and the chicken is heated through, the stew is ready. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley or chives, and serve.