This easy slow cooker chicken, bacon, and potato stew is a hearty, comforting meal perfect for a cozy dinner. The tender chicken, smoky bacon, and creamy potatoes cook together in a rich, herby broth. You can swap shallots for onions or add extra herbs for more flavor. A simple, hands-off dish that’s full of warmth and goodness!

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Recipe Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped (12 slices streaky bacon, chopped)
• 200g shallots (7oz shallots)
• 350g baby new potatoes, larger ones halved (12oz baby potatoes, halved if large)
• Few thyme sprigs
• 200ml white wine (7fl oz / ¾ cup white wine)
• 500ml hot chicken stock (18fl oz / 2 cups hot chicken stock)
• 280ml buttermilk, optional (9½fl oz / 1⅙ cups buttermilk, optional)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken, Bacon & Potato Stew

1. Heat the slow cooker: If needed, preheat your slow cooker.
2. Brown the chicken: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken thighs for about 10 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
3. Cook the bacon and shallots: Add the chopped bacon and shallots to the same pan. Cook until browned, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
4. Add ingredients and cook: Add the potatoes, thyme, white wine, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on High for 4-6 hours until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.
5. Thicken the sauce (optional): If you want a thicker sauce, strain the liquid into a pan, boil until thickened, then return it to the slow cooker.
6. Finish and serve: Stir in the buttermilk (if using), then add a squeeze of lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of tarragon. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Brown the chicken well: Take your time browning the chicken to get a deep golden color. This adds extra flavor to the stew.
• Use smoked bacon: Smoked streaky bacon gives the best rich, smoky taste. Regular bacon won’t have the same depth of flavor.
• Cut potatoes evenly: Make sure the potatoes are similar in size so they cook at the same time and stay tender without turning mushy.
• Thicken the sauce if needed: If the sauce is too thin, strain it and boil for a few minutes until thickened before adding it back to the stew.
• Add buttermilk at the end: Stir in buttermilk just before serving to keep the sauce creamy without curdling.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

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