Creamy Chicken Stew with Root Veggies and Apples

Recipes

This hearty, healthy winter stew is perfect for cold nights!

INGREDIENTS:
• 3 slices uncured organic bacon, chopped
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 tsp sea salt, divided
• Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, minced
• 4 medium carrots
• 3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine – OPTIONAL
• 1 TBSP coconut aminos
• 1 (13.5oz ) can unsweetened, full fat coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken bone broth or stock
• 1 TBSP fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 4 1/2 tsp arrowroot flour mixed into 3 TBSP water – OPTIONAL
• Handful of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, for garnish – OPTIONAL

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, then add the bacon.
2. Cook the bacon until crisp, then remove the bacon from the pot onto a plate lined with paper towels.
3. Adjust the heat to medium-high, and add the chicken chunks. Season them with 1/2 tsp sea salt and a dash of black pepper, and brown them in the rendered bacon fat. The chicken does not need to cook all the way through yet, so simply brown it for 4-5 minutes, stirring once or twice to get all sides, then remove chicken and put it on the plate with the bacon.
4. Leave the renderings in the pot, and add the onion, celery, and carrots, and saute until lightly browned (approx. 4 mins), then add the parsnips, sweet potato, apple and garlic. Saute 2-3 minutes more, then add the wine and coconut aminos to the pot, and use it to deglaze the pot by gently scraping up any brown bits. (If you do not want to use wine, use 1/4 cup extra broth mixed with coconut aminos to deglaze. No need to reduce.)
5. Let the wine reduce for about 1 minute, then return the reserved cooked chicken and bacon to the pot.
6. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, thyme, and poultry seasoning, stir to combine, then bring it to a boil.
7. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer the stew until the chicken is tender and the veggies are soft (approx. 40 minutes).
8. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste, and garnish with fresh parsley.

If this soup is too thin for your preference, you can make a slurry with arrowroot (stir the arrowroot and water together in a small bowl) and add it to the stew when there are 10 minutes left to cooking.

COOKING OPTION:
This can also be made in a slow cooker, with all raw ingredients. OR you can lightly saute the bacon, onion, celery, carrots and garlic over a stovetop in your slow cooker insert, and then add all the other ingredients raw. Cook on LOW for 4.5 hours.

Hi, I’m Ali.

Eighty was founded by me, Ali Brady. I am a…

  • Certified Functional Medicine Nutrition Practitioner
  • Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
  • Certified Function Nutrition Lab Full Body Systems
  • Graduate
  • Certified Health Coach
  • Certified Paleo Autoimmune Protocol Coach
  • Certified Health-Supportive Chef
  • Busy, Active, Working Mom

But don’t let my nutrition background fool you.

I’ve been EXACTLY where you’re sitting.

I know how it feels to be living in hormonal chaos.

The exhaustion. The frustration. The helplessness. The feeling like your life is basically over.

When you’re struggling with hormone problems, unwanted weight gain, and stubborn symptoms, you find yourself thinking, “I’ve lived my life up to this point only for it to be like THIS?” Stop the ride, I want OFF.

But I also know how it feels to heal your body and your life. When I started eating the Eighty way, I learned how whole, nutrient-rich foods enjoyed with an attitude of abundance (NOT restriction) can nourish the body back to wellness.