Root Awakening

Eastern European-Style Whole Chicken and Carrot Stew with Hearty Root Vegetables

2 hours 15 minutes
Serves 4
Dinner
Herb's take

This stew takes inspiration from Eastern European kitchens, where a whole chicken simmers with carrots and earthy root vegetables for maximum flavor. You’ll learn the magic of braising and why browning the chicken before stewing is the secret handshake of great home cooks.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
  2. 02
    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
  3. 03
    Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips, celery root, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, for 6-8 minutes until vegetables soften.
  4. 04
    Stir in the garlic, paprika, and caraway seeds. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. 05
    Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to concentrate its flavor and deepen its color.
  6. 06
    Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze, loosening all those flavorful browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
  7. 07
    Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the potatoes, bay leaves, and pour in the chicken broth until everything is just covered.
  8. 08
    Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  9. 09
    Uncover the pot and simmer for another 30 minutes to reduce and intensify the broth. Skim any excess fat from the surface.
  10. 10
    Check that the chicken is very tender and the vegetables are soft. Remove and discard bay leaves.
  11. 11
    Stir in the lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Taste and add remaining black pepper or salt if needed.
  12. 12
    Ladle stew into bowls and serve with thick slices of crusty country bread for soaking up the broth.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.