Chicken Stew

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered, chop larger ones into 6 pieces
• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Set a large pot over medium-high heat and warm the oil. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes total, flipping it once around the middle of the cooking time. Move the chicken to a plate, keeping the fat in the pot; you want 1 1/2 Tbsp, so add a little more oil if the pot looks short.
2. Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and let it cook for 1 minute more.
3. Pour in 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, then add the potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil, then stir in the mushrooms and return the chicken to the pot.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let the stew simmer, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
5. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, melt the butter in a separate small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking the whole time, for 1 minute.
6. Keep whisking as you add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture boils and thickens, then take it off the heat.
7. When the stew is done, stir in the flour mixture. Add the parsley, give everything a final stir, and serve warm.