This turmeric chicken stew combines chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, turmeric, and spices to create a colorful and flavorful meal that the whole family can enjoy.
If you like quick and easy one-pot meals, this turmeric chicken stew is for you. Filled with turmeric, ginger, and creamy coconut milk, this recipe is a twist on a classic chicken stew that can be enjoyed on its own or with a side of fluffy rice.
And, while it may seem a little different, the flavors in the stew are mild enough for the kids and adults to enjoy and the recipe is incredibly versatile so you can add more spices to kick up the heat if you like.
Why You’ll Love It
- Made in One Pot – This turmeric chicken stew is made in one pot making cleanup a breeze.
- High in Protein – With over 25 grams of protein per serving, this chicken stew is a protein-packed meal.
- Anti-Inflammatory – Not only does turmeric add flavor and color to this stew, but it contains a natural compound curcumin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (1).
- Great for Meal Prep – This chicken stew keeps well in the fridge and freezer making it a great recipe for batch cooking.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – The recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, however, you can use chicken breasts if preferred. You can also use cooked or leftover chicken if needed, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Sweet Potatoes – To add some complex carbohydrates. You can swap them for white potatoes, pumpkin, or winter squash if needed.
- Turmeric – To add color, flavor, and anti-inflammatory properties to the stew. You can use fresh turmeric root or ground turmeric in this recipe.
- Onion and Garlic – To add flavor and fragrance. If needed, you can swap the fresh onion and fresh garlic for onion powder and garlic powder, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Carrots and Celery – To add some veggies.
- Ginger and Spices – A combination of ginger root, cumin, and coriander to add some flavor. If you want to increase the spice level, simply add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Coconut Milk – To make the broth rich and creamy. If you’re not a fan of coconut milk, you can use heavy cream or half-and-half instead.
- Spinach – To add some leafy greens.
- Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats and sear the chicken.
- Flour – To help thicken the stew, but you can omit it if you like.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free broth and swap the all-purpose flour for 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.
To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is dairy-free.
How to Make Turmeric Chicken Stew
- Sear the chicken. Warm the olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat, add the chicken, and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned, and then set it aside.
- Sautee the veggies. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender, then add the garlic and ginger, and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the spices. Add the ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and flour, stirring to combine with the vegetables.
- Add the chicken, sweet potatoes, and broth. Return the chicken to the pot, add the sweet potatoes, cover with broth, and bring to a low boil.
- Simmer until tender. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender and sweet potatoes are cooked through.
- Add the spinach. Add the coconut milk and spinach to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Serve and enjoy! Garnish with chopped cilantro to serve.
You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
This turmeric chicken stew is complete with protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats and can be enjoyed on its own as a balanced meal. To stretch the dish into more portions, you can serve it with some rice and additional vegetables such as steamed broccoli or green peas.
How do you cook with fresh turmeric?
Fresh turmeric root is milder than ground turmeric so a recipe will require more; 1 inch of turmeric root is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric. Fresh turmeric can be used in stews, soups, curries, rice dishes, smoothies, sauces, and marinades.
Can you make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. To make this turmeric chicken stew in a slow cooker, season and brown the chicken as per instructions, then add all of the ingredients, except the coconut milk and spinach, to a slow cooker, stir to combine, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Once cooked, add the coconut milk and spinach, stir to combine, and warm for a final 10 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow to stew to cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To Freeze: Once cooled, leftover chicken stew can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To make grab-and-go meals and reheating easier, you can freeze the stew in individual portion-sized containers.
To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the stew in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the stew overnight in the fridge and then place the stew in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the stew in the microwave, place thawed stew in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed depending on the strength of your microwave.
More Chicken Soup and Stew Recipes:
PrintTurmeric Chicken Stew
This turmeric chicken stew is the perfect healthy, high-protein, one-pot meal for a cold day. Plus, leftovers keep well in the fridge and freezer making it great for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, or 2-inch turmeric root, peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to season
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to season
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- Cilantro, chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board, dice into 1-inch pieces, and season generously with salt and black pepper.
- In a large pot on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, add the chicken, and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned on all sides, working in batches if needed. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot, transfer it to a plate, and set it aside.
- In the same pot, reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pot, sprinkle with flour, and stir until well coated, and then add sweet potatoes.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any tasty bits from the bottom of the pot, and stir until everything is well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce it to a simmer, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sweet potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork.
- Once cooked, add the coconut milk and chopped spinach, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- The stew can be served immediately, and leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
To Make it in a Slow Cooker: Season and brown the chicken as per steps #1 and #2, then add all of the ingredients, except the coconut milk and spinach, to a slow cooker. Stir until well combined and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Once cooked, add the coconut milk and spinach, stir to combine, and warm for a final 10 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
To Use Cooked Chicken: Skip step #1 and add 4 cups of cooked diced chicken in step #8 instead.
To Use Ground Ginger: Use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.
To Use Onion Powder: Use 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
To Use Garlic Powder: Use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 377 calories
- Sugar: 7 grams
- Fat: 19 grams
- Carbohydrates: 27 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 27 grams
Anonymous says
Added some green beans instead of spinach. Very flavorful!
Erin says
Made this tonight with white potatoes as opposed to the sweet potatoes. Very delicious and easy! Thank you!
Michelle says
Absolutely one of the best recipes I’ve tried of yours! I used ground turmeric and 1 white potato to help thicken it up…and added everything to a Dutch oven and baked at 350 for 2 1/2 hours and it was divine! Had it over basmati rice.
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you so much for sharing, Michelle!
Julie says
This is just excellent. Wonderful flavors. It will be part of the dinner rotation. We served it with pita bread.
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you so much for sharing, Julie! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Nadine says
This was so warming and delicious. I did increase the measure of spices and couldn’t resist adding curry.
Shannon says
Easy and delicious! Subbed what I had on hand- chicken breasts instead of thighs and used 1 white potato and 1 sweet potato since that’s what I had.
Even my kids gobbled it up.
Thank you!
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happpy you enjoyed it, thank you so much for sharing!
Joy Baer says
I absolutely love this recipe! My family loved it as well! One question I have is how much is a serving size?
Stephanie Kay says
The stew makes 4 servings, so the nutritional values are based on 1/4 of the stew.
joy says
This was so delicious! This is not a recipe (spices) I would normally use but it looked so good, I just had to try it. I followed all steps and it came out so tasty and everyone loved it! I will be making this regularly!
Lola says
Followed the recipe to a T and it was delicious! Tbh,I found it even better the next day! Thx for another keeper recipe!!
Linda says
Loved this! Didn’t use the cilantro as I didn’t have. Used a box of chicken broth so four cups and upped the coconut milk to one cup. Delicious and so much flavor.
Kimmer says
This recipe was fabulous
I made it exactly as the recipe showed
It is company worthy or better yet worthy to take to someone who is in need of a healthy , delicious meal perhaps after surgery or moving or just a tough day
I served it with brown rice
Leftovers are amazing
Stephanie Kay says
So happy to hear it, thank you so much for sharing!
Jenna Greene says
Fabulous recipe, made it exactly as directed & wouldn’t change a thing.
Lorie Nevills says
I made it vegetable broth and no chicken was so good!!Thank you
Tersia Baskins says
Absolutely Delicious!! I used Brusselsprouts since I did not have spinach and it turned out really good! We ate it as a soup with more added liquid.
Mary Prosper-Paul says
canned coconut??
Stephanie Kay says
Yes, canned coconut milk.
Danielle says
This is a lovely soup recipe. Hearty and flavorful.
Mary says
This is such a delicious recipe! The spices are a perfect blend (I also added the pinch of red paper flakes). I didn’t have celery so added a few chopped brussel sprouts instead. Otherwise I kept everything the same and it is a keeper! Thank you for all the delicious recipes and great information!
Wanda says
Made this tonight and it was EXCELLENT! I used all fresh ingredients. This was my first time working with turmeric so I really wanted to try it fresh. Such a great blend of flavors and so satisfying and soothing. Instead of flour though, I used Arrowroot powder 1:1 so it was a gluten-free variation.
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you you for sharing, Wanda!
Melody says
This stew was the bomb.com!! I added some mushrooms and israeli couscous!! This is definitely going into the meal rotation!!
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing, Melody!
Joy says
Did you used canned coconut milk or refrigerated coconut milk?
Stephanie Kay says
Canned coconut milk.
Rebecca Hussain says
I just made this for the second time. I didn’t have spinach so I sliced up brussel sprouts. Also added some crimini mushrooms roughly chopped. Absolutely love this recipe. This going to be my go stew recipe on a regular basis. Thanks again!! 😊
Joy Forbes says
We loved your Tuneric Chicken stew! I substituted kale instead of spinach as that is what I had on hand. The choice of using turmeric, cumin and coriander was interesting and delicious!
Alaina says
What would instruction be for insta pot?
Stephanie Kay says
I’m not sure, I’ve not tested it.
Zarina Yusaf says
This was awesome! The recipe is perfect and my family loved the chicken- thanks so much!
Stephanie Kay says
So happy is you enjoyed it!
Miranda says
Love this stew. The cilantro makes it. Don’t leave it out. I used chicken breasts because that’s what I had, and it still turned out great. Such an awesome busy weekday lunch.
Robin Warren says
I made this delicious stew twice now, and all I can say is O.M.G.!!! It is incredibly flavorful – The earthy essence of the turmeric combined with the sweet coconut milk is nothing less than brilliant!! I have given small batches of it to family and friends and they are A-MAZED. I have never been much of a cook but now I have more time and I’ve been eager to make homemade soups, as I have a progressive intolerance to onions (I left them out of this but with all the other flavors they were NOT missed!)
I can’t wait to try your other soup recipes. Thank you Stephanie!!
Robin
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Robin! Thank you so much for sharing!
Tharina Potgieter says
I absolutely love this soup, and my Grandchildren as-well and if they love soup i am so happy
Jacqueline Holmes says
I absolutely love this soup!! it is my go to soup. I am currently making it.
Galya Todorova says
This recipe is so delicious!
Can I make it in instant pot?
Stephanie Kay says
I’ve not tested it, so I can provide instructions, but you certainly could!
Suzy says
It was delicious. We loved it. I didn’t use coconut milk, didn’t put any spinach in it and used white potato instead of sweet potato. As I had only chicken fillets at home, I chopped up one.Thanks for the recipe.
Stephanie Kay says
Love the swaps and additions, Suzy! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Kay says
This is 5 star delicious. Super easy to make and a wonderful combination of flavours. It’s a must to try. Thanks again
Red. We love all your recipes
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you so much, Kay!
Mary B McKelvey says
Excellent. Made it twice and will make it again.
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you for sharing, Mary!
Cindy says
This stew was really yummy!
Easy enough to make, really hearty and a little creamy with good seasoning. Great on a cool day, plus for two people it make two meals.
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you for sharing, Cindy!
Lee says
This was very good. Five star rating from my family.
Anonymous says
My whole family loved this! Made it as is, but in a slow cooker. Definitely a keeper and wouldn’t change a thing.
Stephanie Kay says
Pleased to hear it, and thank you for sharing the slow cooker tip!
Theresa says
Delicious and satisfying. The sweet potatoes are everything!
Stephanie Kay says
Thank you, Theresa!
Ann says
This stew is yummy! Fast prep and quick cooking time exactly as quoted. I used chicken breasts, fresh turmeric and served it over rice. It’s a keeper 🤤
Stephanie Kay says
Love the swaps and additions, thank you for sharing, Ann!
Phil says
I’ve added this one to my new cooking repertoire. Thanks Stephanie.
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing Phil!
Michelle says
One of the best chicken stews I’ve ever made, and it was loved by all! So nutritious and delicious!
Joey says
Made it and it was out of this world
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing, Joey!
Phil says
this is a winner, Steph. I did without the turmeric root but I’ll try to get some next time.
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy you liked it, thank you for sharing!
Jackie Forbes says
My new favorite soup, or stew!
I made this for my grandson and I, we loved
Stephanie Kay says
I’m so happy to hear it, thanks you for sharing, Jackie!
Kathi says
This is delicious! Excellent combination of spices. I served it with rice. We all loved it.
Stephanie Kay says
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Kathi, thank you for sharing!