Chicken Stew with Tomato Sauce and Vegetables — Quick Homemade Recipe
Tender chicken in tomato sauce with aromatic vegetables – a simple homemade dish, ready in under 40 minutes
Chicken Stew with Tomato Sauce and Vegetables
Course: Main, LunchCuisine: RomanianDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes30
minutes380
kcal40
minutesWhenever I think of a simple dish that’s still full of flavor, this chicken in tomato sauce with vegetables comes to mind. It reminds me of family meals at home, when everything was cooked with whatever ingredients were on hand, and somehow, the fewer the ingredients, the tastier it felt. For a touch of modern flavor, I added a handful of peas – nothing fancy, just a little extra.
It’s the kind of recipe you make when you want something quick, healthy, and comforting. Tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and a slightly sweet-tangy tomato sauce come together perfectly, making a dish the whole family will love. Plus, it’s ready in under 40 minutes, which makes it an ideal solution for busy days.
Let’s be honest – most of us are always on the lookout for these kinds of simple chicken recipes, and I think they’re always the perfect choice. Let me show you just how easy it is to prepare!
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments how it turned out and what veggie combos you used. And if you enjoyed it, don’t forget to save the recipe and share it with your friends – they’ll thank you for it!
Ingredients (4 servings):
650 g boneless chicken thighs
1 red bell pepper
2–3 small carrots
50 g green peas
1 leek stalk
2 green onions
2–3 garlic cloves
150 ml tomato sauce
2 tbsp olive oil (or sunflower oil)
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Preparation method:
- If you’re missing some ingredients or want to adapt the recipe to what you have in the fridge, there are a few easy swaps. You can replace the chicken thighs with chicken breast for a lighter version, or even with turkey. The red bell pepper can be swapped for a yellow or green pepper, while the carrots can be replaced with parsnip or celery stalks for a different flavor. Instead of peas, you can use sweet corn or green beans. If you don’t have a leek or green onion, a small white onion or a shallot works just fine. The tomato sauce can be made from blended fresh tomatoes or diluted tomato paste, and the garlic can be reduced to just a pinch of powder or left out entirely if you prefer.
- I seasoned the chicken thighs the night before using my favorite spices, but you can also season them at least 30 minutes in advance so the flavors have time to soak into the meat. I heated a deep pan, added the oil, and seared the chicken thighs for a few minutes, but not all the way through, since they will finish cooking in the sauce.
- I removed the chicken once it was nicely browned, and in the same oil, I added the chopped vegetables—except the garlic and, of course, the peas. After the vegetables softened slightly, I added enough water to cover them, about 250 ml, and let them simmer for 5–6 minutes before adding the garlic. You can follow the same method if you like, so the vegetables stay flavorful and slightly crisp before the garlic goes in.
- Next, I added the tomato sauce, stirred everything well, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I returned the chicken to the pan to continue cooking and let the sauce simmer until it reached the desired consistency. At the end, I added the peas, which, being frozen, didn’t need much cooking time.
- Once the chicken and vegetables were perfectly cooked and the sauce had reached the desired consistency, I took the pan off the heat and let the flavors settle for a few minutes. The result was a simple yet flavorful dish, reminiscent of home-cooked meals, ready to be served with fresh bread, mashed potatoes, or polenta.
- This time, we chose to serve the recipe with polenta and a little bit of sour cream, and I can honestly say they go perfectly together. That’s about it – isn’t it such a simple recipe? I hope you enjoy it, and I can’t wait to hear in the comments how it turned out for you and what vegetable combinations you used. happy cooking and enjoy your meal!
