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Slow Cooker White Wine Chicken Stew

Slow Cooker White Wine Chicken Stew with tender chicken thighs, mushrooms, pearl onions, and a golden Dijon-white wine broth. Set it on Low for 6–7 hours, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, then finish with butter for a silky French-American stew.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and vegetables
  • 6 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 cup cremini mushrooms halved
  • 1 cup pearl onions fresh or frozen
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 2 sprig fresh thyme 2 sprigs
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary 1 sprig
Stew base
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Thickener and finish
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp water for slurry
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter added at end
Serving
  • 1 fresh parsley
  • 1 crusty bread for serving
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and layer in slow cooker
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper, then place them in the slow cooker. Add the halved cremini mushrooms, pearl onions, sliced carrots, and minced garlic around the chicken.
  2. Whisk together the dry white wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, and Dijon mustard. Pour the mixture over the chicken so most ingredients are covered and the broth pools at the bottom.
  3. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs on top of the chicken. Spread them so their leaves sit above the liquid for maximum aroma.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours, or on High for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is very tender. When ready, the chicken should pull easily and the broth should look golden and lightly reduced.
Thicken, finish, and serve
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry, then stir it into the hot stew. Make sure it disperses without clumps so the broth thickens evenly.
  2. Cook on High for 20 minutes until thickened. Watch for a glossy, spoon-coating texture in the broth.
  3. Remove the thyme and rosemary herb sprigs, then stir in the unsalted butter. Let the butter melt fully for a smoother, richer sheen.
  4. Taste and adjust with more salt and black pepper if needed. Serve hot with fresh parsley and crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

To keep the thighs juicy, don’t over-thin the slurry—whisk cornstarch and water until smooth, then stir into simmering liquid and cook the full 20 minutes on High for proper thickening. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes, but the sauce may thicken more after thawing—stir in a splash of broth or water when reheating. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken thighs and reduce butter to 1 tbsp at the end.