New Year Low Fat Stew (Printable)
Hearty chicken and vegetable stew with lean protein, perfect for a healthy start to the year.
# List of ingredients:
→ Protein
01 - 1.1 lb skinless chicken breast, cut into 0.8 inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1.2 inch pieces
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
09 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
→ Spices & Herbs
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt, to taste
→ Garnish
17 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Heat a large nonstick pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Add the chicken breast cubes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
03 - Stir in carrots, celery, red bell pepper, potatoes, and green beans. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
04 - Mix in the tomato paste, dried thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, and bay leaf; stir to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and additional pepper if desired.
07 - Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if preferred.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It fills you up without the heavy feeling that comes after, which is surprisingly rare in the stew world.
- You can throw it together in the time it takes to watch one episode of something, and it tastes like you fussed over it all day.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, and it freezes beautifully for mornings when you need something quick and real.
02 -
- Don't skip the initial browning of the chicken and sautéing of onions and garlic; these steps build the flavor foundation, and skipping them makes the stew taste thin and one-dimensional.
- If you add the green beans at the very beginning, they'll turn to mush by the time everything else is done; they cook faster than you think, so hold them back or add them toward the end of simmering.
- The smoked paprika is the secret that stops people mid-spoonful and asks what you did; don't skip it or substitute it with regular paprika.
03 -
- If you're making this for people with dietary restrictions, the vegetarian version is just as satisfying; use drained chickpeas instead of chicken and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and no one will feel like they're eating a compromise.
- The smoked paprika and bay leaf are what separate a decent vegetable soup from a stew that people remember, so don't view them as optional even if you're improvising other things.