This Spanish Chicken Stew comes together in less than half an hour but tastes like it's cooked for hours, a hearty chicken stew full of warming rosemary, lemon and garlic flavors. One of my favorite weeknight dinners for years - and great to keep in the freezer for cold days when you need to warm up.
This weekly staple of mine reminds me of a delicious Spanish chicken stew I had in the mountains of Mallorca, many years ago. I'm sure I haven't managed to replicate it entirely, but the flavors are all there - lemony, herby and lots of chicken taste.
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Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in 25 minutes
- It's easy to make with just a few simple steps
- Incredible flavor and tastes like it cooked for hours
- It's loaded with fresh lemon taste and fragrant rosemary
- A lighter version of a Spanish chicken stew thanks to the lemon & no tomatoes
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Rotisserie chicken can be swapped for leftover chicken or homemade shredded chicken. Chicken skin optional!
- Rosemary - use fresh if you have it, otherwise dried rosemary works as well. Use 1 tablespoon dried rosemary for 4 servings of this recipe.
- Vegetable oil - olive oil gives the most taste, but a neutral vegetable oil works
- White wine can be omitted
- Half and half can be swapped for cooking cream or half heavy cream, half milk
- Chicken broth - make it yourself or use bouillon cubes or bouillon powder
- Dark soy sauce is used mostly for color, you can swap it for regular fine table salt - start with half a teaspoon of salt, taste test, and add more if needed
- Black olives - I prefer pitted, but olives with the pit work as well
How to make it
- Heat oil in a large skillet or large saucepan over medium heat and add minced garlic and fresh rosemary
- Fry for a minute, until fragrant. Take care so the garlic doesn't burn - if it starts to brown, lower the heat.
- Add chopped zucchini and cook for 2 minutes, mixing often
- Pour in white wine and cook off some of the wine for 2 minutes
- Add chicken broth
- Add soy sauce
- Add bay leaves
- Mix, cover, and leave to simmer for 5 minutes
- After 5 minutes, remove the sprig of rosemary and the bay leaves
- Pour in half and half and mix, then bring to a simmer
- Add lemon juice, chicken and olives
- Mix well, and allow the chicken to heat up. Then taste test and adjust seasoning if needed - sometimes I add an extra pinch of salt. Serve as it is, with a side of white rice, brown rice, or with a nice crusty bread to dip in that delicious sauce!
Tips & tricks
- Make it dairy free by using a non-dairy half and half or cooking cream
- Homemade broth makes everything better - this recipe is no exception
- Remove the sprigs of rosemary and the bay leaves for a nice touch, or leave them if you're lazy
- Add the lemon juice after the cream to avoid the cream curdling
- Don't cook it too much after adding the chicken or the chicken might become dry - it just needs to heat up,
- Even better the next day - perfect to make ahead
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container and consume within 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for longer
- Heat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove - in 1 minute increments in the microwave or simmer in a pot on the stove for a few minutes
- Store stew separate from rice for the best result
Recipe FAQ
Can I make it with chicken thighs?
You can really make this stew with any type of cooked chicken. It's best when using pieces that have been cooked with the bone, for example bone-in chicken thighs
I like to remove the meat from the bones before adding to the stew, but you could add the chicken thighs with the bone as well.
Can I make it with boneless chicken breast?
Yes, you can make this with boneless chicken breast, but for maximum flavor I recommend using a cut of chicken that's been cooked with the bone.
More quick & easy dinner recipes
Love quick and easy dinners loaded with flavor, like this Spanish Chicken Stew? Then check out these options!
- Meatballs without Eggs & Breadcrumbs (aka The Best Meatballs)
- Shrimp Mei Fun
- Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers without Rice
- Tortellini al Forno with Spinach
- Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Salmon
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
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Recipe
Spanish Chicken Stew with Lemon & Rosemary
Print RateServings: 4
Calories: 654kcal
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 5 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅔ cup white wine
- 1.5 cup chicken broth
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¾ cups half and half
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken de-boned and cut in bite-size pieces, skin optional
- ¾ cups black olives
To serve:
- 4 servings long grain rice cooked according to instruction on package
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sprigs of rosemary and cook for a minute, until fragrant. Be careful so the garlic doesn't burn - lower the heat if it starts to brown.
- Add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in white wine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and soy sauce. Mix well.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove bay leaves and rosemary sprigs.
- Add half and half, mix well, and bring to a simmer. Then add lemon juice, chicken and olives, mix well and allow the chicken and olives to warm up in the stew. Taste test and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve with a side of cooked long grain rice, or a nice piece of bread.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Notes
Nutritional value assumes you're serving with white long grain rice.
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Rotisserie chicken can be swapped for leftover chicken, or a whole boiled chicken. Chicken skin optional!
- Rosemary - use fresh if you have it, otherwise dried rosemary works as well. Use 1 tablespoon dried rosemary for 4 servings of this recipe.
- Vegetable oil - olive oil gives the most taste, but a neutral vegetable oil works
- White wine can be omitted
- Half and half can be swapped for cooking cream or half heavy cream, half milk
- Chicken broth - make it yourself or use bouillon cubes or bouillon powder
- Dark soy sauce is used mostly for color, you can swap it for regular fine table salt - start with half a teaspoon of salt, taste test, and add more if needed
- Black olives - I prefer pitted, but olives with the pit work as well
Tips & tricks
- Make it dairy free by using a non-dairy half and half or cooking cream
- Homemade broth makes everything better - this recipe is no exception
- Remove the sprigs of rosemary and the bay leaves for a nice touch, or leave them if you're lazy
- Add the lemon juice after the cream to avoid the cream curdling
- Don't cook it too much after adding the chicken or the chicken might become dry - it just needs to heat up,
- Even better the next day - perfect to make ahead
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container and consume within 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for longer
- Heat leftovers in the microwave or on the stove - in 1 minute increments in the microwave or simmer in a pot on the stove for a few minutes
- Store stew separate from rice for the best result
Nutrition
Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1432mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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