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Dinners | Slow Cooker | Soups
Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken Stew
Spinach artichoke dip meets chicken stew in this mashup of two of my all-time favorite comfort foods.
If you’re a spinach artichoke dip fan (who isn’t?!) this one is for you! It’s perfect for hosting a crowd for game day or when you just want something that’s (almost) as easy as eating dip for dinner on a busy weeknight. It takes all the comforting flavors of a classic spinach artichoke dip and bulks them up in a slow cooker with chicken, potatoes, and a few other hidden veggies like leeks and celery. This super flavorful, creamy, hearty stew is now on my regular weeknight dinner rotation.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make It
Storing and Reheating
Tips
Reasons to Love It
Chicken Stew Recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chicken
I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this stew, but you could use breasts instead. Omit the chicken to make it vegetarian, maybe swapping in white beans for protein.
Artichoke Hearts
Get a good jar of marinated artichoke hearts for this. I think the ones in the jar taste better than canned.
Spinach
Gently rinse fresh baby spinach before adding to the stew.
Potatoes
I use smaller baby potatoes (red or yellow) for this stew because they have a buttery, creamy texture compared to larger, more starchy russet potatoes. If using, there’s no need to peel the potatoes, just quarter them so they are bite-sized.
Leeks, Celery, and Garlic
I prefer leeks in this creamy, hearty stew compared to onion because they are a bit milder and more herbaceous. They melt down nicely with the celery and make the stew smell amazing! Celery and garlic help build flavor and sneak in a few more veggies.
White Wine
You can use whatever white wine you have in the fridge, but I recommend using a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay if you have it. Avoid anything sweet.
Chicken Broth
You can use low sodium or full sodium chicken broth, whichever you prefer, but you may need to adjust the salt later on. Swap for vegetable broth if you’re making this stew vegetarian.
Cream Cheese
Make sure to take the cream cheese out of the fridge to come to room temperature before you start doing any cooking. Cold cream cheese will become lumpy when added to the hot stew. I use full fat plain cream cheese, but reduced-fat works, too.
Lemon Juice
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice brightens up all the flavors so it’s not one-note or too heavy. I don’t recommend using bottled lemon juice as it has preservatives and other ingredients that make it overly sour and generally not taste very good.
Herbs and Spices
Red pepper flakes are optional and you can scale them up or down depending on how much heat you want in your stew. Fresh dill goes really well with the artichoke hearts and will make your stew taste even more like the dip you know and love.
How to Make Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken Stew
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Step 2
In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the leeks, celery, garlic, red chili flakes and a generous pinch and salt and pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.
Step 3
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. This adds great flavor and makes the pan easier to clean! Bring to a simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes until reduced by about half. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Step 4
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, artichoke hearts and potatoes if using. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Step 5
Shred into large chunks using two forks. Add the softened cream cheese, stirring until completely melted into the broth.
Step 6
Stir in the fresh spinach until wilted then stir in the dill. Season with additional salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste. Serve warm topped with sliced green onions and freshly grated Parmesan.
Storing and Reheating Slow Cooker Stew
If you have enough leftovers to freeze, you can store this chicken stew in an airtight container or freezer bags (once completely cooled) in the freezer for up to 6 months. Otherwise, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat from the fridge, either warm it in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally, or microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so until warmed through. You might need to add a little water or broth to thin it out as some of the ingredients might have absorbed some of the liquid while in the fridge.
To reheat from frozen, either move the stew to the refrigerator to thaw overnight or soak it in a water bath until completely thawed. Use the same reheating instructions as above.
Tips for Making the Best Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken Stew
- You can season your chicken thighs up to a few hours in advance if you have the time. This will make your chicken extra tender and flavorful, but it’s not necessary for a yummy stew.
- When searing the chicken in the pan, make sure the pan is pre-heated before adding the chicken. You are just trying to sear the outside of the chicken, not cook it through. The chicken will cook through in the slow cooker. Browning the chicken ahead of time adds a lot of flavor to the final meal.
- When cooking the leeks, celery, and onion, you just want them softened, not browned, so you’ll need to reduce the heat after removing the chicken. If they do brown, though, don’t worry, your stew isn’t ruined.
- Once fully cooked, you can shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with two forks. Give it a good stir to coat the shredded chicken in the broth so it can soak up all the flavors.
- Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature before adding to the stew. Cold cream cheese will be lumpy. It’s very sad when that happens.
- If the stew is ready before it’s time to serve, wait until you’re ready to serve to add the spinach and dill. The longer it sits in the hot stew, the more wilted and cooked it will get, making it almost disappear.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- If you love spinach artichoke dip, you’ll love this chicken stew. It’s just a more filling and substantial meal, but still has the same familiar flavors.
- A slow cooker meal is always a good idea. You can put it together in the morning and let its smell take over your kitchen all day while it does the cooking for you.
- This Slow Cooker Stew is perfect for feeding a large family or if you’re hosting a crowd. You can even double the recipe to have leftovers or if you’re feeding a lot of people.
- You can easily make this stew vegetarian by omitting the chicken and swapping the chicken broth for veg broth. It will be just as delicious so even the meat-lovers won’t notice.
