This easy chicken sweet potato stew is a perfect one-pot dinner for a busy weeknight. Juicy chicken, tender root veggies, and crisp broccoli are cooked in a creamy, gingery sauce. It is easy to prepare, tastes so hearty, and is packed with nutrition. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
The first time I had chicken sweet potato stew was in Shanghai, during a business trip. I was a bit surprised to see a creamy stew in a Chinese restaurant. After all, the appearance of the dish seemed quite American. But after one bite of the stew, I fell in love with it immediately. The stew was made with chicken chunks and lots of root vegetables in a creamy, gingery chicken sauce. It was so hearty, especially in the cold weather.
I swore to myself that I would recreate the dish in my own kitchen. But I didn’t take action until very recently, when I discovered the Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup.
I used to have a bias toward packaged ready-to-eat soups. Because they are usually packed with artificial flavor enhancers and additives. When I was introduced to the Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup, I was very impressed with the ingredient list. First, there were no additives or preservatives. Second, the taste of the condensed soup was delicious, without any artificial taste like some brands I’d tried in the past.
Normally you will need to make a roux with added cream to create a creamy sauce like this. But now you can use the condensed soup to make the cooking process so much faster.
Ingredients you need
You only need a few things for this recipe. And you’re likely to have most of them in your pantry already.
NOTE:
- Fresh ginger is key in this recipe. Not only does it add a lot of fragrance to the dish, but it’s also packed with nutrition.
- Taro root is another superfood. But if you cannot find it in your grocery store, you can use potatoes to replace it.
- If you want a gluten-free dish, simply use coconut aminos or tamari to replace the soy sauce.
Cooking process
Cooking chicken sweet potato stew couldn’t be easier. You simply need to:
- Brown the chicken, then add the ginger.
- Add the root vegetables and liquid. Cook until tender.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the cream of chicken condensed soup.
That’s it!
The whole process is super easy and your dinner will be ready in no time!
One word on the taro root
You can usually find two types of taro root in the grocery store.
1. The small taro root
You’ll need to peel off the skin using a peeler. Then cut the peeled root into bite-sized pieces.
The white part will start to turn brown once cut. If you’re not going to cook immediately, you can cover the taro root with water and a squeeze of lemon juice to keep it white.
This is the type of taro I used when developing this recipe.
2. The big taro root
You can usually find this taro in pre-cut pieces due to the large size. You can slice off the skin using a knife, then cut the root into bite-sized chunks. The bigger taro has a sweeter fragrance than the small type.
Both types are delicious and you can choose whichever you prefer.
Ingredients options
Chicken cut
I used skinless, boneless thighs in the recipe because the meat is juicy and rich. But you can use chicken breast as well.
Other root veggies
It’s always a good idea to use mixed root vegetables to add flavor and texture. I really love the combination of sweet potato and taro, but you can use potato and other types of yam as well.
NOTE: Maybe avoid purple yams. I used them once because of the pretty color. But my stew turned a weird pinkish grey at the end, including the chicken! The stew was tasty but it looked unusual.
More easy one-pot meals
- 15-Minute Curry Ramen with Leftover Ham
- 5-Ingredient Savory Oatmeal (Chinese-Style)
- Korean Fire Chicken (Cheese Buldak)
- Steamed Salmon in Black Bean Sauce
- Easy Fried Udon (Yaki Udon)
Now it’s your turn!
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook and @PacificFoods on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
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Creamy Chicken Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 lbs (450 g) chicken thigh , diced (or breast)
- 1 tablespoon ginger , grated
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 8 oz (225 g) sweet potato , peeled and diced
- 8 oz(225 g) taro , peeled and diced (*Footnote 1)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 head broccoli , cut into florets
- 1 box (12 oz. / 340 g) Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and arrange it in a single layer. Cook without touching until the bottom is browned, 1 minute or so. Flip to brown the other side, another 1 minute.
- Add the ginger and stir a few times to release the fragrance.
- Pour in the rice vinegar to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to lift any brown bits off the pan.
- Add the water, sweet potato, taro, soy sauce, and salt. Bring the water to a boil and turn to medium-low heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes just turn tender.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the cream of chicken condensed soup. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes, until the broth thickens. (*Footnote 2)
- Serve hot as a main dish. Enjoy!
Notes
- To prevent the taro from browning, add the taro slices into a bowl, cover them with water and add a squeeze of lemon juice. DO NOT eat raw taro, it is mildly toxic.
- When you stir in the condensed soup, the broth will look quite thin, like the texture of creamy soup. But the broth will keep thickening once it’s slightly cooled and the texture will be more like a stew. If you desire the stew to be thicker, you can lightly mash the sweet potatoes in the pot.
Nutrition
Have a question or feedback? Add a Comment
Did you make this? I want to see! Tag @OmnivoresCookbook on Instagram, and rate the recipe below.
Sashi
We enjoyed this one, thanks Maggie. Unfortunately we could not get taro so used parsnip instead which some sites suggest is a good alternative. We would prefer the broccoli a little more steamed so are going to do this separately next time, but that’s just a family preference. Very wholesome meal, thanks once again.
Marija
Words cannot describe how wonderful and comforting this is! I tried taro root for the first time in this dish, and we all loved it. Since the lock down started in Serbia, I haven’t been able to get my hands on any, so I’ve tried it with plain potatoes too, and it was just as soothing. Thank you for all these amazing recipes!