When I was a preteen and teenager, my mom and I had some of our best conversations over spinach artichoke dip. As the oldest of four, that one-on-one time was precious. To be honest, I don’t know how my mom made so much time for me, but she did. We’d go shopping for school supplies, dance clothes, or a new dress I needed for a school formal, then would end the day with more talking and an appetizer of spinach artichoke dip. I get don’t get as many of those days with my mom anymore, but I still find comfort in all things spinach artichoke. This slow cooker spinach artichoke chicken stew hits all those same notes.
It’s comforting in the way all stews are.
Do you love a good slow cooker chicken stew as much as I do? Check out these Apple a Day favorites:
- slow cooker Spanish chicken and saffron stew
- slow cooker Moroccan chicken stew
- slow cooker chicken stew with sausage, white beans, and spinach
Since this spinach artichoke chicken stew is made in the slow cooker, it’s uber simple. You just prep a few ingredients, then let the slow cooker do the work. It’s perfect for spring with all those artichokes and since spring nights are still on the chilly side, it’s warming without being heavy. It’s got that signature touch of creaminess spinach artichoke dip has, but it only uses a bit of cream cheese. Honestly, it’s pretty darn perfect. The only thing missing from this slow cooker spinach artichoke chicken stew is the ability to enjoy it with my mom.
Enjoy all the goodness of spinach artichoke dip in this super simple, perfect-for-spring slow cooker spinach artichoke chicken stew.
Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Chicken Stew
slightly adapted from New York Times Cooking
Ingredients:
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 large yellow or red onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks, chopped
8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
2 to 2¼pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup white wine (or chicken stock)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut spinach
1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained (about 1 heaping cup)
4 oz. cream cheese (half of a standard-sized brick)
½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
4-6 green onions, thinly sliced, for serving
Directions:
- In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and garlic and stir until softened and fragrant, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning, about 2 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Alternately, if you have a multi-cooker like mine, this can all be done in the crock of the slow cooker.
- Add the chicken, stock, wine (if using), and lemon juice to the slow cooker. Season with the red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. At this point, the dish can hold on the warm setting for several hours.
- About 20 minutes before serving, add the frozen spinach and the artichoke hearts to the slow cooker. Cook on low until the spinach is hot and can be stirred into the stew.
- Add the cream cheese and dill, and stir until the cream cheese melt.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken. You may want to remove the chicken to a cutting board to avoid scratching your slow cooker. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the stew among bowls and top with green onions and more red pepper flakes, if desired.
yield: 6 servings
