Mary Berry Chicken Stew Recipe

A chicken stew is one of the most reliably satisfying meals in British home cooking. Not as elaborate as a coq au vin, not as structured as a casserole — just good chicken, root vegetables, and a rich golden gravy, all cooked together in one pot until everything is tender and the sauce has developed the kind of depth that only time and patience can produce.

Mary Berry’s chicken stew recipe is the weeknight version of this dish — straightforward enough to make on a Tuesday evening, good enough to serve to guests on a weekend.

The chicken is browned first for colour and flavour, the vegetables are softened, and everything simmers together in a good stock with herbs until the chicken is falling from the bone and the gravy has thickened to a beautiful, glossy consistency.

It is the kind of meal that makes the house smell wonderful for hours and makes everyone at the table feel properly looked after.

What Makes This Chicken Stew Different

Browning the chicken before adding liquid. Many quick stew recipes skip this step to save time. Do not skip it. Browned chicken skin develops a flavour that carries through the entire finished stew. The fond — the caramelised bits left in the pan after browning — is deglazed into the sauce and adds enormous depth.

A proper golden gravy. The gravy in this stew is made by cooking flour into the browned vegetable mixture before adding the stock — a simple roux that gives the finished sauce a proper body and a slightly glossy consistency rather than a thin, watery broth.

Root vegetables cooked low and slow. Carrots, parsnips, and celery cooked gently in the stock for a full hour absorb the flavour of the broth and become sweet, tender, and completely integrated into the dish rather than sitting as distinct separate elements.

Ingredients for Mary Berry Chicken Stew

• 8 chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on, bone in
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 celery sticks, cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp plain flour (for the roux)
• 600ml good quality chicken stock
• 200ml dry white wine (or extra stock)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• 200g baby button mushrooms, halved
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Mary Berry Chicken Stew — Step by Step

Step 1 — Brown the Chicken

Dust the chicken pieces lightly in the seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches — skin-side down first — for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Do not crowd the pan. Set aside on a plate.

Step 2 — Soften the Vegetables

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips, and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and take on a little colour. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 3 — Make the Roux

Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the vegetables. Stir for one to two minutes to cook the flour through. This roux will thicken the gravy during cooking.

Step 4 — Build the Sauce

Add the white wine if using and let it bubble for one minute, scraping up the browned bits from the base of the pan. Add the chicken stock, tomato purée, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.

Step 5 — Return the Chicken and Simmer

Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, nestling them into the vegetables and sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer on the hob. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat — or transfer to a preheated 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3 oven — for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until the chicken is completely tender and falling from the bone.

Step 6 — Add the Mushrooms and Finish

In the final 15 minutes of cooking, add the halved mushrooms. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for the last 10 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.

Remove the bay leaves. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter with fresh parsley.

Step 7 — Serve

Serve directly from the pot with mashed potato, crusty bread, or buttered egg noodles to absorb the gravy.

My Top Tips For Mary Berry Chicken Stew

Do not skip browning the chicken. It takes an extra 15 minutes and makes a fundamental difference to the depth of flavour in the finished stew. Every browned batch adds more flavour to the pan. Do not rush it.

Brown in batches — never all at once. Overcrowding the pan causes the chicken to steam rather than brown. Two or three batches in a properly hot pan gives you deeply caramelised skin and the maximum flavour.

Use bone-in, skin-on chicken. Dark meat on the bone stays moist and tender through a long braise. The bones add flavour to the sauce. Skin-on provides the golden crust from browning. Skinless boneless chicken breast becomes dry and tough over an hour of cooking.

Deglaze properly. After browning the chicken and softening the vegetables, the base of the pan is covered with deeply flavoured caramelised bits — the fond. Adding the wine or stock and scraping up these bits with a wooden spoon dissolves them into the sauce and adds enormous flavour. Do not rush this step.

Cook uncovered for the final 10 minutes. This brief uncovered period allows the sauce to reduce and concentrate, giving a more intensely flavoured, glossier gravy.

Serving Suggestions

With creamy mashed potato — the sauce seeps into the mash and the combination is outstanding. With crusty bread for mopping. With buttered egg noodles for something slightly different. With steamed greens — broccoli or green beans — alongside for colour and freshness.

How to Store Mary Berry Chicken Stew

In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in a 160°C oven until piping hot. The flavour improves overnight.

In the freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

Mary Berry Chicken Stew Recipe

Mary Berry's chicken stew is tender chicken, root vegetables, and a rich golden gravy — all in one pot.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 19 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 44 minutes mins

Servings: 6 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 415

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 8 chicken thighs and drumsticks skin on, bone in
• 2 tbsp plain flour seasoned
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion roughly chopped
• 3 carrots cut into chunks
• 2 parsnips cut into chunks
• 3 celery sticks cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 600 ml chicken stock
• 200 ml dry white wine or extra stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 g baby button mushrooms halved
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method

 

1. Dust chicken in seasoned flour. Brown in batches in hot oil, skin-side down first, 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Set aside.
2. In same pan, cook onion, carrots, parsnips, and celery over medium heat for 8–10 minutes. Add garlic — cook 1 minute.
3. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp flour. Stir 1–2 minutes to cook through.
4. Add wine — bubble 1 minute, scraping the base. Add stock, tomato purée, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir well.
5. Return chicken to pan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on low heat (or 160°C oven) for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until tender.
6. Add mushrooms for the final 15 minutes. Remove lid for the last 10 minutes to reduce sauce.
7. Remove bay leaves. Season. Scatter parsley. Serve with mashed potato or crusty bread.

Notes

Never skip browning the chicken — it is the foundation of the flavour.

Brown in batches — do not overcrowd the pan.

Use bone-in, skin-on chicken — breast becomes dry and tough in a long braise.

Deglaze properly — those browned bits in the pan are pure flavour.

Cook uncovered for the final 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce.

Flavour improves overnight — make ahead if possible.

Stores in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezes for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs and drumsticks?

Chicken breast becomes dry and stringy over an hour of cooking. If you want to use breast, add it for the final 25 to 30 minutes only. Dark meat on the bone is genuinely the right choice for this dish.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes — brown the chicken and soften the vegetables as directed, then transfer to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add mushrooms in the final 30 minutes.

Can I add dumplings?

Yes — for the final 25 minutes of cooking, place small suet dumplings on top of the stew. Cover and cook until the dumplings are cooked through. They steam in the gravy and make the stew a complete, substantial meal.

Why is my stew sauce too thin?

Either the roux was not properly incorporated, or the lid was on too tightly during cooking preventing evaporation. Mix one tablespoon of cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water and stir into the simmering stew. Cook for five minutes and the sauce will thicken.

Can I add other vegetables?

Yes — leeks, swede, turnip, or small whole shallots all work well in this stew. Add them at the same stage as the carrots and parsnips. Peas or green beans can be added in the final ten minutes for freshness and colour.

How do I make the gravy darker?

Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce with the stock, or stir in a teaspoon of dark soy sauce. Both darken the colour and add depth without making the stew taste of either.