Chicken Stew

Today’s recipe was created out of necessity years ago on a camping trip.  We were pan frying chicken pieces for our family of four when visitors arrived bringing our number instantly to 18.  As we looked at our chicken in the cast iron frying over the open flame, turning our lunch into soup seemed the only solution.  

So we took the fried chicken off the fire and out of the pan replacing it with onions and garlic.  While I was doing this Paul cleaned out the large cast iron soup pot, and peeled carrots and potatoes.  Everything then went in the soup pot and back on the fire, lid on and we sat down to visit.

About 30 minutes later I lifted the lid and found that what we had created was not a soup but a stew that feed all 18 people with leftovers for the next day.  It has within the family become known as the Mom’s Campfire stew.

You can add dumplings to the stew pot, which we do on occasion.  Further this stew can be made with deboned chicken or chicken pieces with the bones.  When you leave the bones in your broth is very rick and you must caution your guest to be careful to remove the bones as they eat.

Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken cut into pieces or the equivalent in chicken pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup flour or cornmeal (we use gluten free)
• 3 tablespoon fat (we use coconut oil)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 large carrots cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup mushroom pieces (fresh or canned)
• 2 large potatoes diced
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon sage
• 1/4 cup red wine
• Your favourite thickening agent

Directions:

1. In a deep frying pan sauté the chopped onions and garlic until the onions are translucent place in your slow cooker (don't clean the frying pan as you will be using it again and you want the flavouring from the onion and garlic)
2. In a small bowl mix together the egg and water and in another dish place your flour or cornmeal now batter the chicken pieces by first placing in the egg mixture and then in the coating.
3. Fry the pieces until both sides are a rich brown. Place pieces as they are done in the slow cooker.  Note they will not be cooked through as they will continue to cook in the slow cooker.
4. When all the meat is cooked careful not to burn yourself place 1 cup of the chicken broth in the pan and deglaze the pan pour this in the slow cooker as well.
5. Pour the rest of the chicken broth in the slow cooker
6. Add the vegetables, thyme, and sage.
7. Cook on medium to high heat depending on the time you want to eat.
8. 20 minutes before you want to eat turn the slow cooker to high
9. Based on how thick you want your stew mix your thickening agent in the red wine and add to stew.
10. Stir often while your stew thickens
11. Serve

From our table to yours

Grandma Snyder

©2013-2015 twosnydergirls