Ingredients
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 3 sage sprigs
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 carrots
- cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- 1 leek
- white and light green parts only
- finely chopped
- 1 onion
- finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs
- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
- quartered
- 6 garlic cloves
- minced
- 1 pound fingerling potatoes
- halved
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 1 cob)
- Pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- plus more for greasing
- 11 ounces light multigrain bread
- cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
- 4 ounces potato chips (7 cups)
- broken into pieces
- 33 Ritz crackers
- broken into pieces
- 1 onion
- finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped sage
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 6 t
Instructions
- Make the Chicken Stew Using kitchen twine, tie the thyme and sage sprigs into a bundle.
- Turn a 6- to 6 1/2-quart slow cooker to low and set the timer for 5 hours and 15 minutes.
- Make the Chicken Stew Add the butter and cover until the butter melts.
- Stir in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and a paste forms.
- Stir in the chicken stock and half-and-half, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the mixture until smooth.
- Add the herbs, then add the next 9 ingredients, up to and including the salt.
- Cover and cook for 4 hours, stirring after 2 hours.
- Make the Chicken Stew Stir in the chicken, peas and corn.
- Cover and cook until the chicken is white throughout, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Discard the herb bundle.
- Season the stew with pepper.
- Meanwhile, Make the Crust Preheat the oven to 375.
- Lightly oil a baking sheet.
- In a food processor, pulse the bread cubes until coarse crumbs form.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the potato chips and Ritz crackers to the processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form; add to the bowl.
- Stir in the 1/4 cup of oil and all of the remaining ingredients except the poached eggs and garnishes.
- Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet and pat it out to an even 1/4-inch layer with your fingertips.
- Bake until golden and crisp, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack and let cool.
- Break into 3-by-3-inch pieces.
- Meanwhile, Make the Crust Serve the chicken stew in bowls, each topped with a poached egg and a piece of crust.
- Garnish with thyme, parsley and lemon zest.
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