Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew (with Chicken)
This slow cooker Brunswick stew has chicken, potatoes, creamed corn and lima beans simmered in a tomato and bbq based sauce. It feeds a crowd so it’s perfect for casual entertaining like game day parties or fall and winter dinner parties.
Brunswick stew is a classic Southern dish I grew up on, and I think every small town in the South has held a fund raiser and sold it by the quart or gallon. I love the mix of vegetables and shredded chicken all cooked together in a tangy tomato base. It goes so well with fresh baked cornbread served on the side.
While the original recipes were made with various small game meat like rabbit and squirrel, we’re going to leave that version for the old-school crowd!
Grab your large capacity crock pot and make a batch for friends and family, or freeze half to enjoy later. Include this on a soup bar or serve it for a soup dinner party.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken. I typically use chicken breasts, but thighs are good and flavorful too. Make sure it’s skinless and boneless, and if the pieces are very big, cut them in half.
- Potatoes. I like using medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch bite size pieces. The beauty of these is that you don’t have to peel them, and they hold up over the long cooking period.
- Cream-style Corn. Using creamed corn adds a bit of thickness to the stew. If you want more corn pieces, you can use 1 can of cream-style and 1 can of whole kernel.
- Crushed tomatoes. Some recipes use diced tomatoes, but I prefer crushed tomatoes which gives the taste and consistency I grew up on.
- Barbecue sauce. You want to use a smoky or original blend rather than a sweet or honey blend. Stubbs Smokey Mesquite or Hickory Bourbon flavors are good, or Sweet Baby Ray’s Original.
- Sugar. Don’t skip the sugar. It’s undetectable but it balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
Helpful Tips
This recipe is very adaptable. You can add in frozen corn, carrots, green beans or okra if you like.
Freeze for later. You can eat some now and save the rest for another meal. Let the stew cool completely and ladle it into 1-gallon freezer bags. Gently press out the air and zip closed. Lay flat in the freezer so it stacks easily with other items. Thaw overnight in the fridge, re-heat and serve.
Conversely, you can cut the ingredients in half and make a small batch for 6 or 7 guests.
Serve this with a batch of Jiffy brand cornbread, or cornbread casserole. Add a fig salad or kale and butternut squash salad for freshness and to complete the meal.
This is an excellent welcome dinner for overnight guests during holiday season!
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Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew recipe
Easy slow cooker Brunswick stew with chicken, potatoes, creamed corn, and bbq sauce serves a crowd and makes a cozy comfort meal for entertaining on game day, fall gatherings, or casual dinner parties.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, skinless and boneless
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 10 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 16 oz frozen Lima beans
- 2 (14 oz) cans cream-style corn (or 1 cream style and 1 whole kernel)
- 2 (10 oz) cans chicken broth
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups smoky barbecue sauce (I used Stubbs Hickory Bourbon or Sweet baby rays Original))
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup butter, cut up
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place chopped onion in a slow cooker, and lay chicken on top. Add all remaining ingredients and give them a stir to combine (without disturbing the layer of onion and chicken).
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until the chicken is tender. Remove chicken and shred it using 2 forks or a fork and knife. Return chicken to the crockpot, stir, and continue cooking on low for 1 to 2 hours.
Love this cozy twist on beef stew. Will definitely try it!