Alabama Chicken Stew

Chicken stew is a tradition that can be traced back to the pioneer days in the Tennessee Valley, a small pocket of rural communities on the Tennessee-Alabama border. What sets this regional staple apart? It's thickened naturally with potatoes, resulting in a rich and wholesome stew that is sure to warm you up from the inside out.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 414 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) whole chicken
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 ½ gallons water
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 ½ cups frozen corn
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes and their juices
• 10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place chicken, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a 10-quart stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Step 2

Remove from the heat and transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Remove and discard skin and bones. Shred meat.

Step 3

Empty canned tomatoes and juices into a casserole dish and break up the tomatoes with your hands.

Step 4

Add shredded chicken back to the stockpot along with the crushed tomatoes and juices, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and corn. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until vegetables are cooked and potatoes have thickened the stew, 45 minutes to 1 hour.