Crock Pot Guinness Chicken Stew

This Crock Pot Guinness Chicken Stew is a new twist on a traditional favorite. If you’re looking for a delicious St. Patrick’s Day dinner that is easy and tasty, but not the typical Guinness beef stew, you’ve found your solution!

When you make this Guinness chicken stew in your crock pot, you’ll love the way your house smells and everyone will be clamoring for dinner time.

Slow cooker Guinness stew is like comfort in a bowl on a cold, windy day. It’s also the perfect way to get your Irish on and celebrate St. Patty’s Day! But what if you don’t want beef? Well, try some simple Guinness crock pot stew with chicken instead.

Start this Guinness stew in your crock pot in the morning, and by evening you’ll have the scent and flavors of an Irish countryside pub throughout your home.

Have you ever used beer in a recipe before? It adds a depth of flavor and enhances the savory nature of stew beautifully. And Guinness more so than most, because it’s such a dark, rich one all on its own. Plus beer makes your meat even more tender.

The cooked bacon, garlic, onion, and Guinness combine to make a savory treat that everyone is going to love. The time they spend merging together in your slow cooker will create a rich, savory gravy that will be completely unique to anything you’re used to - you’re going to really enjoy it!

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Guinness Chicken Stew

Unlike many other similar hearty recipes, this slow cooker Guinness chicken stew is not made with potatoes, so you’re free to pick your favorite way to serve them up on the side.

Roasted potatoes with some olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt would pair beautifully with this rich Irish stout based stew. Other options are your favorite rustic mashed potatoes or whipped and creamy potatoes puree. Even baked potatoes could work.

A roasted root vegetable medley including potatoes, sweet potatoes carrots, and radishes would be a colorful side dish that would complement this hearty stew, as well.

And of course, tender meat, flavor soaked vegetables, and warm goodness always pair well with a flaky sourdough bread or other doughy favorite to soak up the gravy.

You might enjoy making cheesy whole wheat biscuits or some easy crockpot garlic parmesan bread to go on the side if you haven’t bought some sourdough ahead of time.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Guinness Stew

This Irish stout has a malty flavor and creamy texture that works beautifully with savory dishes. If you’ve never cooked with Guinness, you’re in for a treat.

Beef also pairs very well with Guinness, evident in this delicious Guinness Pot Roast recipe! In fact, it’s a very versatile recipe ingredient and you may want to peek at these ways to cook with Irish stout for even more ideas.

(Pssst...you can even bake with it! Check out this super easy recipe for Crock Pot Guinness Chocolate Cake! It will knock your socks off!)

Using chicken still on the bone is part of what will make this Guinness chicken stew so rich, too. You get the deeper flavors of the meat when you keep them bone in, as it enhances the broth that you’ll use as your gravy foundation.

Also, you’ll add your frozen mixed veggies at the end instead of the beginning so they don’t get lost in the stronger flavors of the other ingredients that will have been simmering together all day. This is a great way to keep the vegetable flavors more distinct, yet still let them blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Steps for making Guinness Chicken Stew

Step 4.

Combine the Guinness, chicken broth, minced garlic, pepper, salt, and dried thyme.

Step 5.

Pour the mixture into the crock pot, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Step 6.

About 20 minutes before serving, mix together the flour and water and slowly pour into the crock pot, stirring constantly. This will give you a thicker, creamier sauce.

Step 7.

Stir in the mixed vegetables, and cook for about 20 more minutes.

Shortcuts for making Guinness Chicken Stew

1. As I mentioned above, you can use frozen chopped onion. It's so much easier than fresh and you can always have it on hand in your freezer.
2. Use precooked bacon. Yes, it costs more, but so does takeout. If spending a little extra makes it possible for you to cook for your family AND keep your sanity, then it's worth it!
3. Buy sliced mushrooms. Then all you have to do is rinse and use.
4. I often use jarred minced garlic for slow cooker recipes. No one can tell the difference!
5. To serve this with bread that tastes fresh baked, warm up a loaf of sourdough, Italian, or French bread in the oven. (Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, wrap the bread in foil, and heat for about 10-15 minutes.)

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Looking for another unique stew recipe? This easy shrimp stew is spicy and comforting and will warm you from head to toe!

Do you have other favorite stew recipes? Leave a comment and share!