Creamy chicken stew – gluten-free recipe

When it comes to comfort food, nothing sounds better than creamy chicken stew served with mashed potatoes. However, the white cream sauce is often made with wheat flour to thicken the sauce. With our simple recipe, you can enjoy creamy chicken without worry. Let me show you how to make this easy, comforting meal gluten-free.

The post has extra tips to make sure the recipe comes out amazing on your first try. If you're in a rush, use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end! 👩‍🍳🔝

Gluten-free creamy chicken stew

I love this creamy chicken stew recipe because it’s easy to make, and budget-friendly, and my kids absolutely love it. It’s a fuss-free dinner for a busy weeknight, which is exactly what we all need in our busy lives.

Ingredients to make gluten-free creamy stew

The ingredient list for this delicious recipe isn’t long, and all ingredients are readily available at any grocery store. Here is what you will need:

• Chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in. While this recipe will work with the boneless skinless chicken thighs too, the bones provide a lot of flavor to the dish and I would highly encourage you to use the bone-in variety.
• Butter, just your regular unsalted butter. As with all dairy, choose organic whenever possible.
• Leek. Leeks give the stew a sweet flavor, but if you don’t have leeks, feel free to use brown onions instead.
• Bay leaf
• Mediterranean dried herbs
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Gluten-free all-purpose flour. I like using gluten-free flour from Aldi or the Bob Red Mill brand.
• Dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
• Chicken stock or vegetable stock.
• Heavy cream. Don’t worry, we will only need 2 tablespoons to make this sauce extra creamy.

Find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below 👇

How to make it

• Start by melting the butter in a large skillet or a Dutch oven. Once the butter is melted, place the chicken thighs in the skillet. Season them with some salt, sweet paprika, and black pepper, and let them cook for 5 minutes until the skin becomes nice and golden.
• Using chicken tongs if you have some, turn the chicken thighs around and cook them on the other side for a minute or two. Transfer the seared chicken thighs to a bowl and set aside.

• Add a little bit of olive oil to the skillet, without washing it, and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add the dried herbs, minced garlic, and bay leaf and cook together for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic.
• Now add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts to get a nice golden color.

• Add the wine and chicken stock and let it come to a simmer. Make sure to scrape the base of the skillet, that is where all the flavors are hiding. 😊
• Once the wine-stock mixture is simmering, add the seared chicken thighs along with the juices that will be in the bowl.

• Bring it to a simmer, cover it with a lid, and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
• Open the lid and let the chicken cook uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and add some heavy cream to the sauce, mix well. Bring it back to a simmer. Taste if you need more salt or pepper.
• Place the chicken back in the sauce and serve.

NOTE: The chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit / 74 degrees Celsius.

How to serve

This is a classic comfort food, and it asks for a classic side dish: mashed potatoes, of course. However, the creamy thick sauce also goes really well with freshly cooked rice and baked potatoes. Or try it with penne, my kids’ favorite—they even sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

More gluten-free side dishes to serve with this hearty stew

How to store

• This delicious meal can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• To freeze, once the stew has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 3 months. If only cooking for 1-2 people, freeze the stew in individual servings using smaller bags.

How to reheat:

• From the fridge: Simply reheat the stew on the stovetop over low heat for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
• From frozen: Thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat it on the stovetop over low heat for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

More quick family chicken dinners

Have you tried this recipe? If so, I’d greatly appreciate it if you could leave a star rating and share your thoughts in a comment. Your feedback means a lot to me, and it can also help others who are interested in trying it out. Thank you! 🌟👩‍🍳