Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Here’s some good news about fall and winter: this dish that I have created for you is an absolute must do! It’s got the richness of tomatoes, peas, carrots, olives and chicken thighs. And if you’re a little afraid of chicken thighs, this is absolutely the moment to get over that. That was an old, former you, and you need to make friends with chicken thighs.
One of the secrets that makes this dish so great is the braising. We wanted to make a soup but we really wanted to infuse flavor by braising – so here’s a genius tip: we started with braising the chicken in just half of the stock, then added the rest at the end. So this landed somewhere between a soup and a stew, you might even call it a “St-oup”!
When you make this Mediterranean Chicken Stew, be sure to rate and review it below. I can’t wait to hear what you think and what fun ways you make it your own. If you’re looking for more inspiration, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!
Print
Mediterranean Chicken Stew
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Oven/Stovetop
Description
This stew is the perfect way to warm up your winter with a hearty dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 8 chicken thighs, bone in skin on
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil, divided, plus more if needed
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic 1/4 cup Arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken stock, divided 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sliced carrot rounds
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup halved pimento stuffed green olives
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F
-
Salt and pepper chicken thighs on both On medium-high heat, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven, saute chicken skin side down, until golden brown about 4-5 minutes each side. Do in batches if needed. Set aside.
-
In same pan, retain 3 Tbsp of fat and juices from the chicken thighs (if you don’t have 3 Tbsp left, add additional olive oil to make it 3 Tbsp total). Cook onions, stirring constantly, over medium heat until beginning to soften, for 2-3 Add garlic and saute until fragrant, for another minute. Add rice and toast, stirring, for about 1 minute.
-
In 1 cup of warm chicken stock, dissolve tomato Add to pot. Then add diced tomato and bay leaves. Add the salt and pepper, and pepper flakes.
-
Put the chicken back into the pot, cover and place in oven for 20 minutes.
-
Take pot out of oven, uncover, remove bay Add carrots and remaining 3 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil then, reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
-
Add peas and olives, turn off. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
I always cook extra chicken thighs (so usually 12 instead of 8 – but I leave all the rest of the ingredients amounts the same. These make great leftovers (or a heartier portion for dinner!).
Keywords: chicken stew, mediterranean stew
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks, Laurel.
I just purchased everything and am going home to make this fabulous dish! Will report back with results!!
I made this yesterday. I only had four thighs and four chicken breasts, so that’s what I used. In the end, I personally couldn’t tell the difference, except for the skin. Tasted great! I loved the kick of red pepper flakes. I loved the little, salt bombs of the olives. It was a hearty dish that I will cook again. Thanks, Terri.
★★★★★