Chicken meets ratatouille in this deliciously easy Mediterranean Chicken Stew. Full of flavour and goodness, and ready in under 1 hour – perfect for busy weekday evenings.
Mediterranean Chicken Stew
I really love the taste of chicken that has been fried and then poached. Cooking chicken this way gives you all the benefits of the lovely flavour of fried chicken and the delicious moist texture of poached chicken. Very much the best of both worlds, in my opinion!
Plus the sauce gets the added benefit of all the lovely chicken juices and the chicken gets extra flavour from the sauce.
In this recipe I have created a quick and easy ratatouille to poach the chicken in, giving the chicken a sort of Mediterranean vibe.
This simple chicken stew can be made on the hob in under an hour, but needs very little attention once it has got started, making it perfect for busy weekday evenings.
What to serve with Mediterranean Chicken Stew?
I like to serve this stew with rice, but it would go equally well with mashed potatoes, couscous or French bread. If you have more time, it would also go very well with my saffron rice pilaf.
What to drink with Mediterranean Chicken Stew?
This goes brilliantly with a Southern French Grenache-based red or rosé: something like a Cotes du Rhone or Provence rosé would be perfect. If you prefer white, try a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Chile
Adaptations to try…
For a vegan/vegetarian version of this stew, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and chickpeas or cannellini beans instead of the chicken. Cook everything else as per the recipe below, adding in the chickpeas/beans about 15 minutes before the end.
I really love the aniseedy flavour of fennel in this dish, but I know fennel isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you don’t like it, leave it out and maybe add in an extra courgette instead.
This dish is very adaptable and a great option if you are trying to use up odds and ends from the fridge – don’t be afraid to play around with the veggies in this recipe: for example, leeks and carrots would also work well.
Can you reheat Mediterranean Chicken Stew?
This is the kind of meal that tastes just as good the next day – if not better! Store any leftover stew in a plastic lidded container in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the leftover stew in a saucepan with a splash of water. Bring to the boil then turn down low and simmer for about 10 minutes… or until the chicken is piping hot all the way through.
Alternatively, this dish can also be eaten cold, straight from the fridge.
Can you freeze Mediterranean Chicken Stew?
Yes, this Mediterranean Chicken Stew freezes beautifully. Simply place the cooled stew in a plastic lidded container and pop it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to 1 month.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Mediterranean Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion sliced
- 1 aubergine (eggplant) cut into 2cm / ¾inch chunks
- 1 large courgette (zucchini) cut into 2cm / ¾inch chunks
- 1 bulb of fennel cut into 2cm / ¾inch chunks
- 8 chicken thighs (or legs or a mixture)
- 2 garlic cloves chopped finely or crushed
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Rice, couscous or bread to serve
Instructions
- Put 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide, deep saucepan and add the sliced onions. Cook on a low heat, covered with a lid, for 5 minutes until the onions are soft but not brown.
- Add the chunks of aubergine, courgettes and fennel and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook until golden brown (5-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, put the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and place over a high heat. Season the chicken pieces and add to the hot frying pan. Fry for 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (Note: you can do this before starting the ratatouille, if you don’t like juggling two pans at once.)
- When the vegetables are ready, turn the heat back down low and add the crushed garlic. Fry for one more minute, then add the chicken stock, tinned tomatoes and oregano, plus some salt and pepper.
- Bring the ratatouille to the boil, then turn down low and add the chicken pieces, skin side up.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes give the stew a stir and cook for a further 20 minutes with the lid off. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and add a splash of water if it starts to get dry.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, couscous or crusty bread and a glass of French Grenache red or rosé.
Notes
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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Alison says
This is my sort of meal, it looks really tasty. Will have to give it a try
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Alison! Let me know how it goes!! Eb x
Bob Arthur says
Very Good! It’s quite similar to something we cook up called “Chicken Afritada”. The veggie combo is different, but the sauce is quite similar.
Thanks for the Recipe!!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks for this lovely comment, Bob. So pleased you like the recipe! Eb 🙂
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
Looks really tasty. This would be lovely served with couscous on a cold day.
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Cat! Oh yes, this is delicious with couscous! Eb 🙂
Sisley White says
Thank you so much for linking up to the first CookBlogShare of 2021. This recipe is so gorgeous and it’s going on my new recipe to try this week. Anything I can pop in the oven and leave to work it’s own magic I am there for!
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Sisley! Totally agree about recipes where the oven does all the hard work 😀
JO says
I made this for visiting friends and we all loved it! I added about a handful of black olives and another handful of blanched almonds for the full Spanish effect. I will be making this again soon, thank you!
Eb Gargano says
Aw yay – I am so happy to hear this! Love the idea of adding olives and almonds 😀 Thank you so much for leaving a review… and especially for the 5 star rating! Eb