Vegan Chicken Stew - an easy, flavorful dinner recipe (2024)

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Get this vegan chicken stew recipe on your weekly meal plan STAT. It makes the perfect cozy winter dinner and will immediately transport you back to childhood. This creamy vegetable stew with meaty soy curls is easy to make using common ingredients, methods, and hidden vegetables too! This vegan stew recipe is also freezer-friendly and the perfect plant-based meal prep recipe. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made oil-free.

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FRIENDS.

I have something for you, and I think you’re gonna love it.

Behold, my newest recipe obsession: Vegan Chicken Stew. OMG.

I can’t stop staring at it, or eating it, or stirring it around in the pot as I reheat leftovers and gaze longingly at all that warm and comforting deliciousness, stealing quick tastes every chance I get.

Click here to Pin this recipe for later.

Creamy Vegan Stew Ingredients

Oh, and did I mention the BEST part?! That creamy sauce is made from – drumroll, please – CAULIFLOWER!

Yes! I know it is really hard to believe, but it is 100% true. Cauliflower.

So basically you get big bowl of warmth and comfort, AND you get a massive dose of veggies? You all know that has my name written allllllll over it.

This vegan chicken stew is also another kickass way to use our homemade vegan bouillon powder.

The flavor the bouillon adds to this dish is so perfect I could scream with joy! And I have, let’s be real.😋

To make this dish animal-free, we used soy curls to replace the traditional chicken. Soy curls are a total pantry staple in our house, and they are the perfect texture for vegan chicken stew!

If you don’t have soy curls, fret not though! We have also had success using homemade chicken-style seitan, as well as many store-bought vegan chicken like Gardein + Tofurkey.

The main thing you want to remember with store-bought vegan chicken is to use something without breading. Check the freezer aisle at your local grocery store for ideas!

Honestly, this vegan chicken stew would even be great without any vegan chicken at all, whatever your preference! I can’t believe I of all people just said that, but it is 100% true. 🙂

How to Serve Vegan Chicken Stew

This stew is wonderful served with a simple roll and vegan butter.

But, if you really want to “fancy” things up a bit, go ahead and make yourself some puff pastry triangles. (See pictures for context.)

These are T’s FAVORITE. They make take a tad longer to throw in the oven, but they are just about as simple as getting a roll and buttering it up.

As for leftovers, they’ll keep for up to a week in the fridge or a month in the freezer. This is one of our go-to freezer recipes, actually!

We hope you’ll try this cozy, delicious vegan chicken stew and we know you will fall in love with it just like we have!

If and when you do give it a go, we would love for you to rate it and leave a comment below or tag us in your tasty photos on Instagram. If you’re not already following along, we’re @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.

And if you want to be sure you never miss a Plant Power Couple recipe, don’t forget to sign up for our email list!

Enjoy!

Other Cozy Vegan Dinners You’d Love:

  • Vegan Chicken(less) Tetrazzini
  • The BEST Vegan Chicken(less) Noodle Soup
  • Vegan Pot Pie Casserole

Vegan Chicken Stew - an easy, flavorful dinner recipe (5)

Creamy Vegan Chickenless Stew

Brittany Roche

Get this vegan chicken stew recipe on your weekly meal plan STAT. It makes the perfect cozy winter dinner and will immediately transport you back to childhood. This creamy vegetable stew with meaty soy curls is easy to make using common ingredients, methods, and hidden vegetables too! This vegan stew recipe is also freezer-friendly and the perfect plant-based meal prep recipe. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made oil-free.

4.99 from 51 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dinner

Servings 5 bowls of stew

Calories 259 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unroasted unsalted cashews soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil see notes for oil-free
  • 1 small yellow or white onion roughly chopped
  • 4-5 large cloves garlic minced
  • 1 head cauliflower roughly chopped / stem removed
  • 5-6 cups water
  • 2 cups soy curls measure dehydrated + break into small pieces*
  • 2 large carrots small diced
  • 1 large potato peeled and small diced
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup vegan chicken-style bouillon powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a large pot and turn heat to medium. When hot, add the onion, garlic, and a large pinch of salt and saute for about 5 minutes or until fragrant.

  • Pour in 2 cups of the water along with the cauliflower. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.

  • Whilst the cauliflower cooks, make your cashew cream: Drain your soaked cashews and add them to a blender with 3/4 cup water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Then, set aside until you're ready to use it.

  • When the cauliflower is tender, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Then, add the remainder of your ingredients (including the cashew cream and remaining 3 cups of water). Stir to combine and cover/cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

  • Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If your stew is too thin, allow to cook a little longer uncovered. If it's too thick for your taste, add the optional sixth cup of water. Serve with puff pastry or a big slice of rustic bread. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

TO MAKE IT OIL-FREE: Saute the onions and garlic in some water rather than olive oil.

*Feel free to use whatever vegan chicken you like, but if you’re not using something that comes dehydrated, you will want to cut back on the water (use 4 cups instead of the 5-6 recommended cups).

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl of stewCalories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 15gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 993mgFiber: 11gSugar: 8g

Keyword creamy vegan soup, easy vegan stew, plant based stew, soy curl recipe, vegan chicken, vegan chicken soup, vegan chicken stew, vegan soup, vegan stew, vegan stew recipe, vegetarian chicken stew

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Vegan Chicken Stew - an easy, flavorful dinner recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do they make vegan chicken taste like chicken? ›

Vegan chicken matches up the taste of real chicken because of the substitutes used in preparing it without many health and environmental risks compared to traditional chicken. Some substitutes used to prepare vegan chicken include; Soy protein, vital wheat gluten, textured vegetable protein, and pea protein.

What ingredients can be added to provide flavor when stewing poultry? ›

Thyme, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves are my go to spices for most soups and stews. Oregano, basil, marjoram, would all work well. Basically, you can season up your stewing hens however you like, but I prefer to keep the flavors rather neutral then jazz up the recipe that I use the resulting meat and broth in.

Why is chicken stew good for you? ›

It's packed with vegetables and fairly low in calories, so it's healthy too. Each serving provides 415 kcal, 48g protein, 26.5g carbohydrates (of which 7.5g sugars), 11g fat (of which 2g saturates), 8g fibre and 0.5g salt. With a GI of 49 this meal is high protein, low GI.

Is vegan chicken healthier than real chicken? ›

Plant-based chicken products like Alpha's Chik'n Nuggets will commonly contain fewer calories, less sodium, less saturated fat, and less total fat than meat-based equivalents.

How to make vegan food taste good? ›

How to make plant-based meals taste good
  1. Start with fresh ingredients. Any chef will tell you the best food starts with the best ingredients. ...
  2. Include a protein source. Lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, certain grains... ...
  3. Add some herbs & spices. ...
  4. Come hungry. ...
  5. Add the secret ingredient.
Apr 4, 2024

How can I make my stew more flavorful? ›

If so here are some tips for making your stews tasty and have your family begging you for more!
  1. Choose your ingredients wisely. ...
  2. Start off with a good flavour base. ...
  3. Add vegetables. ...
  4. Add flavourings to taste. ...
  5. Add Herbs and/or Spices. ...
  6. Spices: (Optional) ...
  7. Add stock or wine/beer. ...
  8. Add thickeners.

How do you fix bland chicken stew? ›

Personally I would add as many aromatics and flavor enhancing substances that I like. If the stew is already finished, then you can sauté onions, garlic peppers, celery and carrots then add them to the stew. I would also add some herbs and finally salt and pepper to taste.

How do you make chicken taste more flavorful? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

How to add flavor to bland chicken stew? ›

Butter: A little bit of butter combines with the flour in the pot to create a roux that helps thicken the broth into a gravy. It also helps make the flavor of the stew extra rich. Herbs: A robust mix of parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage give this stew a warm and cozy flavor.

What's the difference between chicken soup and chicken stew? ›

Soup Uses More Liquid

In soup, the liquid is the primary ingredient. Soup can be completely liquified or it can consist of other elements (like meat and vegetables) that are fully submerged in water, stock, or broth. Stew, meanwhile, is typically "chunkier." It contains just enough liquid to cover the main ingredients.

How to thicken chicken stew? ›

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

How do they make vegan meat taste like meat? ›

Soy protein concentrate and pea protein are common ingredients used to mimic the true taste and texture of real meat. Editor's note: Some plant-based meat options, notably Impossible Foods products, contain GMO soy.

How do they make vegan food taste like meat? ›

This often means the use of copious seasonings and spices, yeast extracts, enhancers like nut-based sauces and mushrooms, and coconut oil. Due to various ingredients and processes used, some brands of plant-based meat have actually accomplished the flavor of real meat…

How is artificial chicken flavor made? ›

A process for preparing an artificial chicken flavor, if desired in situ in the foodstuff being flavored, which comprises blending a hexose, a bland protein hydrolysate, in peptide, non-ultimate amino acids form, an arachidonic acid compound selected from the group consisting of adachidonic acid, methyl or ethyl ...

How does Impossible chicken taste like chicken? ›

The texture and flavor are remarkably similar to real chicken nuggets, but without any animal products. The breading is perfectly crispy and golden, while the inside is tender and juicy. This product has all the nostalgic goodness of traditional nuggets but with a cleaner, plant-based twist.

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