This Apple Chicken Stew with Rutabaga, Carrots, and Parsnips is an easy, healthy and delicious dinner. Root veggies are available for most of the year, and they add an earthy flavour to the tart sweetness of the apples. The creamy gravy is from apple juice and chicken stock. And the whole thing is a hearty, comforting bowl of goodness.
This is a very autumn tasting dish, but I think it makes a cozy winter meal, too. I've said it before, but I love one-pot meals. Especially stews. It's so nice to throw ingredients into a pot together and let all of the ingredients simmer together until it's time to eat. And the clean up is pretty nice, too.
Apples in a Stew?
You don't usually see apples in a chicken stew, but they work really well with the flavours of sage, rosemary and chicken. I love rutabaga. It's one veggie that needs more attention, because, in spite of it's not so pretty appearance, it's a really versatile ingredient. People sometimes confuse turnips with rutabaga, but they aren't the same. Although closely related, they are different veggies.
Rutabaga vs Turnip: What's the Difference?
The difference? Rutabaga is bigger and yellow, and the turnip, which is white and purple, is smaller. Rutabaga is sweeter and milder than the turnip. When you cook rutabaga, it has a mellow sweetness and they are delicious mashed or in casseroles, soups, and stews, like this apple chicken stew. You may also know them as swedes. 1 medium rutabaga (although you're probably not likely to set down and eat a whole one unless you want to, and really, why not?) has 161% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Besides 38% dietary fibre, 18% calcium, and 11% iron. Fun rutabaga fact: you know that neon coloured candied fruit for making fruit cakes? A good portion of it is actually rutabaga!
Rutabaga is a star in this stew along with another underused root vegetable, parsnips, as well as carrots. Any apple variety will work. I had some Spartans, so that's what I used, but I think a more tart Granny Smith would be especially good.
And you can do this in the slow cooker, too. I have included instructions in the recipe notes.
For more delicious root vegetable recipes, you may like Ginger Carrot Lentil Soup or Creamy Parsnip Puree.
Recipe
Apple Chicken Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
- 1 " fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups rutabaga peeled and cubed
- 1 cup parsnip peeled and diced
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrot peeled and diced
- 4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 apples peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high in a large pot or dutch oven.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper
- Brown chicken on all sides, in batches, and remove to a plate. (About 5 minutes per batch)
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions, sage, ginger and garlic to the pan.
- Cook stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes
- Turn heat up to medium and add rutabaga, parsnips, and carrots to the pan
- Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Sprinkle the veggies with flour and stir to coat, cooking for 1 minute
- Stir in apple juice and stock, continuing to stir until thickened and smooth.
- Stir in thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and chicken
- Reduce heat and allow it to simmer until vegetables are tender about 30 minutes.
- Add apple slices and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Taste and adjust salt & pepper if required
- Remove from heat and serve hot, garnished with parsley
Notes
Nutrition
debi at Life Currents
This sounds like a hearty and delicious family meal with all kinds of fall flavors going on! Nice work.
Colleen
Hi Debi, thank you, it's a favorite at our house this time of year!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Lots of great flavours in this seasonal stew. Perfect comfort food for the upcoming cold weather.
Colleen
Thanks Gloria! This is a great dish when the weather gets cold!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
I love homemade soups. So interesting that this has apples, it looks delicious!!
Colleen
Hi Sam it really is a delicious stew and the apples are what makes it special, for sure!
Tiffany
This looks delicious and so healthy too! I love the the combination of chicken and apples and root veggies. I have to make this!
Colleen
Thanks Tiffany! I hope you love it as much as we do! 🙂
Jane
Oh these flavours sound just perfect together, especially since the temperature has definitely dropped!
Colleen
Hi Jane! These flavours are perfect for fall, I agree. 🙂
Carmy @ carmyy.com
This looks delicious! I never even thought of adding apple to my chicken stew. Gotta give it a go next time!
Colleen
Hi Carmy! I hope you give it a try, it was really delicious!
maria
I also love one pot dinners and this one looks like a winner. I really love root vegetables and I think the addition of apples is brilliant! Thanks for sharing Colleen ♥
Colleen
Thanks, Maria! One pot is my go to for fall & winter 🙂
Sharon
What a creative and delicious sounding stew! I really am intrigued by the apples. They are such a great pairing with chicken. And would you believe I've never had a rutabega? Time to remedy that. ☺Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Colleen
Thanks so much, Sharon! You need to have a rutabega! 🙂
MDIVADOMESTICA
Your stew looks so tasty & is definitely hearty enough for winter. I don't usually make chicken stew but will have to give this a try.
Colleen
Thanks Melissa, I know, I don't usually make stew with chicken, but this one is a winner!
Cathy
I'm sure that apple must be very good in here! I have a recipe for beef stew with apple that I keep going back to. I also like to see parsnips being used and plan to cook with them more often.
Colleen
Thanks Cathy! We love parsnips and use them a lot. I like the sound of your beef and apple stew 🙂