The meat from stewing chickens needs to be cooked in a certain way to get it tender and flavorful. If you’ve ever been confused by all the labels in the poultry section that say things like “fryer,” “roaster,” or “broiler,” this tutorial will help.
I’ll explain exactly what a stewing chicken is, how it differs from regular chickens, why it needs special treatment, and most importantly, how to cook it for finger-lickin’ goodness. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or new to the kitchen, understanding the nuances of stewing chickens will level up your chicken game.
What Exactly is a Stewing Chicken?
A stewing chicken, also called a fowl or boiling fowl, is simply a mature chicken, typically older than 1 year old. Unlike the young tender chickens sold as fryers or broilers, meant for quick cooking, stewing chickens are older laying hens that have stopped producing eggs.
Their age gives them some key characteristics
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Tougher muscle fibers and more connective tissue. This requires slow, moist cooking to become tender.
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More fat marbled throughout for richer flavor.
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Intensely flavored meat due to a longer lifespan to develop flavor compounds.
A lot of the connective tissue is collagen, which turns into gelatin when cooked slowly and gives the liquid body and a silky feel.
Why Does a Stewing Chicken Need Special Treatment?
Because it is an older, more used hen, a stewing chicken has meat and bones that are very different from those of a young broiler:
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Tough Muscles: The muscle fibers are dense and developed. Cooking fast and hot like a broiler will yield inedibly rubbery meat.
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Abundant Collagen: All that collagen needs hydrating heat to melt into luscious gelatin.
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Thicker Bones: More minerals are deposited in mature bones. This equals more flavor.
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Fat Marbling: As the meat cooks, threads of fat baste it from the inside, keeping it juicy.
To extract the most flavor and make the meat succulently tender, stewing chickens require moist cooking methods using lower temperatures for longer periods of time. This gives the collagen time to dissolve and the tough muscles to relax into a blissfully tender state.
How to Cook a Stewing Chicken
Cooking a stewing chicken is simple, just keep it slow and moist. Here are two classic methods:
Braising:
- Brown the chicken pieces first for enhanced flavor.
- Add aromatics like carrots, onion, herbs.
- Cover with a small amount of liquid like broth or water.
- Simmer gently either on the stovetop or in the oven until fall-apart tender, about 2-3 hours.
Stewing:
- Place chicken in a pot with vegetables and enough liquid to cover.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for at least 1 hour.
- Cover and continue simmering until the meat is literally falling off the bone, about 2 more hours.
A slow cooker or pressure cooker like the Instant Pot also work wonderfully to transform these tough old birds into fork-tender masterpieces while infusing the liquid with intense chicken flavor.
What Kind of Dishes Use a Stewing Chicken?
The long cooking renders stewing chickens ideal for:
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Hearty Soups: Chicken noodle, chicken tortilla, chicken and rice
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Classic Stews: Chicken cacciatore, chicken paprikash, coq au vin
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Pot Pies: Chicken, vegetable, chicken and biscuit
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Shreddable Chicken: Tacos, enchiladas, sandwiches
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Rich Broth: Homemade chicken stock
Their supremely flavorful meat also shines when pulled or shredded and added to salads, grain bowls, pastas, and more. Don’t limit yourself though, get creative with stewing chickens!
What are the Best Parts to Use?
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Whole Chicken: Excellent for soups, broth, and shredding all the meat off the bones.
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Leg Quarters: With the thigh attached, they braise up extra juicy and tender.
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Breasts: Leaner but become deliciously tender with stewing. Avoid overcooking.
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Wings: Braise until sauce clings to all those nooks and crannies.
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Carcass: Make your own rich homemade stock after removing the meat.
Helpful Cooking Tips
Follow these tips for stewarding chickens success:
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Sear or brown the chicken first for enhanced flavor.
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Liquid should just cover the chicken. Too much dilutes flavor.
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Keep at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil.
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Cook time varies from 2-4 hours depending on size.
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Natural release is ideal in a pressure cooker.
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Use an instant read thermometer if unsure about doneness. Temperature should reach at least 165°F internally.
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Save bones after removing meat to make stock.
Why are Stewing Chickens More Economical?
Due to their mature age and inability to lay eggs any longer, stewing chickens are not as commercially valuable as young broiler chickens bred specifically for meat. This makes them more budget-friendly, often priced at $1 per pound or less. Their abundant bones, skin, and collagen-rich cartilage also allow you to stretch them into multiple meals.
Plus, you can feel good about putting a hard-working heritage breed chicken to exceptional use in your kitchen. Their long life translates to concentrated flavor.
For tender, rich chicken dishes, embrace the unsung stewing chicken. Treat it right with gentle moist heat and be rewarded with soul-warming soups, stews, and shredded chicken full of old-fashioned flavor. Its thrifty price point makes it a no-brainer for budget-minded cooks. Just remember low and slow, and you’ll become a stewarding chicken master.
Stewing Chickens—the easy one.
Stew birds are usually laying hens that have passed their prime. They are older and their meat can be tougher, but more flavorful. This kind of chicken tastes best in stews and soups, where the meat can break down over a long period of time. Many love them for chicken and dumplings and wonderfully flavored soups.
And our stewing hens also offer the most delectable schmaltz.
Regardless of how you cook the stewing hens, the most amazing golden yellow fat rises to the surface. So clear, radiant and beautiful. It reminds us of the color of our egg yolks.
Clearly, these hens are concentrating some delicious nutrition, including omega-3s, from the pasture, hay and organic grain and offering it back to us.
From our processing this week, we saw the thick layer of bright yellow fat in these hens. On some of them, you can just cut out a big chunk of bright yellow fat and render it right away.
Stewing Hens
FAQ
What is the difference between a stewing chicken and a regular chicken?
A stewing hen is an egg-laying hen that has been killed because it is no longer useful for laying eggs. While tougher & less fatty than a typical supermarket chicken, when cooked properly, they can be hidden gems. Typically, stewing hens are reserved for broth making, canned chicken/chicken nuggets, and yes.
What is the meaning of stewing chicken?
Stewing Chickens—the easy one. Stew birds are usually laying hens that have passed their prime. They are older and their meat can be tougher, but more flavorful. This kind of chicken tastes best in stews and soups, where the meat can break down over a long period of time.
Are stewing hens good to eat?
ARE STEWING HENS GOOD TO EAT? When treated correctly, stew hens are great to eat. Unlike the chickens raised for meat like broilers who are butchered at a young age for their tender meat, stewing hens have the chance to grow, develop strong bones and lean muscles.
Does stewing chicken make it tender?
Traditionally, these stewed chicken dishes in the South were made with hens that were a bit older, cooking away on the stove all day so the tough meat could become tender; the long simmering also produced a greater depth of flavor .
What is chicken stew?
A stew that usually contains chicken and rabbit or squirrel meat cooked with vegetables. [After Brunswick, a county of southern Virginia . ].
What is chicken broth?
Chicken broth is a flavorful liquid made by simmering chicken meat along with aromatics and seasonings. When making chicken broth, one thing that the cook has to think about is how to balance the need to get flavor from the chicken with the fact that long-term simmering makes the chicken tough and grainy.
What makes a good chicken stew?
What makes my chicken stew stand out from others is the delicate hint of cream. It’s the ideal way to give this simple chicken stew a velvety quality without being heavy. I definitely recommend trying it as the perfect way to enhance this tasty stew! Onion, celery, and carrots – a classic base for many soups and stews. I prefer Vidalia onions.