I love recipes that feel like a warm hug at the end of a long day. This Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Stew does exactly that: minimal hands-on time, honest ingredients, and a comforting bowlful of savory, stewed chicken with potatoes and beans. It’s the kind of dish you can start in the morning and come home to, smelling like dinner has been cooking all day.

There’s nothing fussy here. The recipe leans on simple techniques—sautéing aromatics, browning the thighs, and letting the slow cooker do the rest. The flavors develop quietly and reward patience. It’s weekday-friendly and forgiving, which is exactly how I cook when I want good food without stress.

If you want a stew that holds up for leftovers, travels well, and feeds a small crowd, this one’s a keeper. Read through the steps, prep once, and the slow cooker will take care of the rest. I’ll walk you through ingredients, the exact process, options, and storage tips so you feel confident making it tonight.

What Goes Into Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Stew

1 garlic clove, minced — provides the aromatic base; add with the onion at the start.
1 onion (medium), coarsely chopped — softens and sweetens, building depth of flavor.
extra virgin olive oil — for sautéing and browning; coat the pan to prevent sticking.
4 chicken thighs (remove skin before serving) — the main protein; dark meat stays juicy during long cooking.
1/2 teaspoon salt — seasons the chicken and the stew; use as written and adjust at the end if needed.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper — for a basic savory lift; add with the salt before browning.
1 cup roasted peppers (bottled or canned) — add sweetness and a slightly smoky note without extra work.
15 ounces kidney beans (can, drained and rinsed or black beans) — beans bring texture, protein, and heartiness; drain and rinse well.
1/4 cup olives, pitted and sliced — a salty, briny counterpoint that cuts through the richness.
2 potatoes (large), peeled and diced — the stew’s body; they hold shape but become tender after long cooking.
2 carrots (medium), peeled and diced — sweetness and color; they soften and add substance.
1 teaspoon dried tarragon — an herbal lift; adds a subtle anise-like brightness.
1 cup chicken broth — builds the cooking liquid; choose low-sodium if you want tighter salt control.
1 cup tomato puree — adds acidity and body to the sauce, helping to marry the flavors.

Cooking Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Stew: The Process

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the minced garlic and coarsely chopped onion and sauté about 2 minutes, until softened. Transfer the garlic and onion to the slow cooker.
Pat the 4 chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
In the same saucepan, add additional extra virgin olive oil to coat the pan and heat to medium-high. Brown the chicken thighs 3–5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the browned thighs to the slow cooker and discard the oil from the pan.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: 1 cup roasted peppers (bottled or canned), the 15-ounce can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 1/4 cup pitted and sliced olives, the 2 large peeled and diced potatoes, the 2 medium peeled and diced carrots, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 cup tomato puree. Nestle the chicken into the mixture and stir gently to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken thighs, discard the skin (remove before serving), return the meat to the slow cooker or shred it into the stew, stir to combine, and serve.

Why This Recipe is a Keeper

It’s practically hands-off after the initial prep. Browning the chicken and softening the aromatics up front give you much more flavor than dumping everything straight into the slow cooker. The final texture — tender chicken, soft potatoes, intact beans — is reliably satisfying. It scales well: keep proportions and the slow-cook time, and you’ll be fine.

The combination of tomato puree, chicken broth, and roasted peppers creates a gentle tang and depth without overpowering the dish. Olives and tarragon punch up the flavor profile in measured ways, while the beans add body and make the stew feel substantial without a lot of meat per serving.

Ingredient Flex Options

This recipe already builds in a small option: the 15-ounce can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed or black beans). Use either one as listed. For roasted peppers, bottled or canned are called out; either works. If you prefer fewer briny notes, reduce the 1/4 cup of olives slightly; they’re there to add contrast, not to dominate.

If you want a looser or thicker final stew, adjust the liquid slightly: a splash more chicken broth will loosen it, while mashing a small portion of the potatoes in the pot will thicken it naturally. Those adjustments use only ingredients already listed.

Equipment & Tools

Slow cooker — the primary pot for low-and-slow cooking.
Medium saucepan — for sautéing the aromatics and browning the thighs.
Tongs or spatula — to turn and remove the chicken safely.
Chef’s knife and cutting board — for prepping onions, potatoes, and carrots.
Can opener and colander — to open and drain the beans and peppers if needed.
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula — for gentle stirring.

Don’t Do This

Don’t skip the brief browning step. It adds a layer of flavor that the slow cooker alone can’t produce. If you skip it, the stew will still be edible, but it will taste flatter.

Don’t forget to drain and rinse the beans. The canning liquid can cloud the cooking liquid and alter the texture. Rinsing removes excess sodium and preserves a cleaner bean flavor.

Don’t leave the skin on at service time. The recipe notes to remove skin before serving; remove it when you take the thighs out to shred or return the meat. Leaving it in the bowl will make the dish greasy.

Make It Your Way

Want more texture? Shred half the chicken and leave the other thighs whole when serving — it makes for a homestyle presentation and lets people choose their preferred bite. Prefer a milder stew? Reduce the olives to 2 tablespoons or omit them; the rest of the dish still sings.

For plating, ladle generous portions into warmed bowls and let the stew cool slightly before serving so flavors settle. If you like, serve with something to soak up the broth — a slice of bread or a simple grain works well, though that’s entirely optional.

Chef’s Notes

Timing tip: If you’re short on time, use the high setting for 4 hours, but check the potatoes at the 3-hour mark if they were cut smaller than recommended. If you see the broth reducing too much on high, add another 1/4 cup of chicken broth.

Taste before serving. The listed 1/2 teaspoon of salt seasons the thighs up front, but depending on your broth’s sodium level and whether you rinsed the beans thoroughly, you may want to adjust the final seasoning right at the end.

When shredding the chicken, do it right after removing the thighs. They’re easier to handle while still warm. Return the meat to the pot and give the stew a gentle stir so the shredded pieces pick up the sauce.

Best Ways to Store

Cool the stew slightly, then transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. When reheating, do so gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat to keep the chicken tender and prevent the potatoes from breaking down further.

For longer storage, freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Texture will change slightly after freezing—potatoes may soften more—but the flavor holds up remarkably well.

Quick Q&A

Q: Can I use boneless thighs? A: The recipe lists bone-in thighs as written, but if you substitute boneless thighs, shorten the browning time slightly and check doneness earlier when using the high setting.

Q: Can I leave out the beans? A: Beans are part of the recipe as written; if you omit them you’ll end up with a different consistency and less body in the stew. If you must omit them, consider adding a similar-volume vegetable to keep the texture balanced.

Q: Do I have to remove the skin before cooking? A: The instructions call for removing skin before serving, not before cooking. Browning skin-on adds flavor, but discard the skin at the end as directed if you prefer a less greasy bowl.

Let’s Eat

Serve spoonfuls into warm bowls, making sure each portion has a mix of chicken, potatoes, beans, and a few roasted peppers for color. A final drizzle of any reserved cooking liquid over the top keeps each bite lush. This stew is comfort in a bowl — straightforward, reliable, and exactly what you want on a busy evening.

Make it once, and it will likely become a simple rotation dinner: start early and let the slow cooker finish the work. Enjoy—this is the kind of food I make when I want full flavor without fuss.

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Stew

A slow-cooked stew with chicken thighs, beans, potatoes, carrots, roasted peppers, olives, and tomato puree.

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Total Time4 15

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 garlic cloveminced
1 onionmedium coarsely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken thighsremove skin before serving
1/2 teaspoonsalt
1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
1 cuproasted peppersbottled or canned
15 ounceskidney beanscan drained and rinsed or black beans
1/4 cupolivespitted and sliced
2 potatoeslarge peeled and diced
2 carrotsmedium peeled and diced
1 teaspoondried tarragon
1 cupchicken broth
1 cuptomato puree

Instructions

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the minced garlic and coarsely chopped onion and sauté about 2 minutes, until softened. Transfer the garlic and onion to the slow cooker.
Pat the 4 chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
In the same saucepan, add additional extra virgin olive oil to coat the pan and heat to medium-high. Brown the chicken thighs 3–5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the browned thighs to the slow cooker and discard the oil from the pan.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: 1 cup roasted peppers (bottled or canned), the 15-ounce can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 1/4 cup pitted and sliced olives, the 2 large peeled and diced potatoes, the 2 medium peeled and diced carrots, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1 cup tomato puree. Nestle the chicken into the mixture and stir gently to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken thighs, discard the skin (remove before serving), return the meat to the slow cooker or shred it into the stew, stir to combine, and serve.