Stewed Chicken with Onion, Carrots, and Cream
An honest classic that warms and fills you up (perfect for both kids and adults).
This meal is a safe bet. The combination of sweet carrots, tender chicken, and cream works like a "kids' version of Svíčková" (Czech vegetable cream sauce) for weekdays. The recipe is also great for small children who are training their digestion for milk proteins (like my son with CMPA). The carrots are grated coarsely, so they stew beautifully in the sauce, and even those who usually fish cooked vegetables out of their meal will eat them.
Category: Chicken & Poultry
Prep time: 40 min
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients:
- 1 large Chicken breast (or 2 smaller ones) – cut into smaller cubes
- 2 medium Carrots – peeled and grated coarsely
- 1 medium Onion – finely chopped
- 2–3 tbsp Oil
- 1 level tbsp All-purpose flour
- 350–400 ml Meat broth or water
- Tip: If using water, add bouillon. I use 3 cubes of my homemade strong broth, which I keep frozen in an ice cube tray.
- 200 ml Heavy cream (min. 30% fat)
- Salt, ground black pepper
Equipment:
- Deeper non-stick pan
- Mug and microwave (for heating the cream)
- Grater
Instructions:
1) The base: Sauté the onion in oil in a deeper pan. Once it starts turning golden, add the grated carrots and sauté together. The carrots must start to darken a little (they will caramelize and be sweeter).
2) Meat: Add the chicken cubes to the sautéed vegetables. Sear on high heat until the meat turns white on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Thickening: Dust the meat and vegetables with flour and stir/cook for a while longer so the flour cooks through and doesn't form lumps.
4) Stewing: Pour in the broth (or water with bouillon). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium (or slightly higher), and let it bubble.
- Important: Stew without a lid for about 15–20 minutes. The sauce needs to reduce and thicken.
- The meat and carrots must always be submerged. If the water evaporates too quickly, add a little more.
5) Cream trick: To prevent the sauce from curdling, never pour cold cream into hot food!
- My method: Pour the cream into a mug and heat it in the microwave (one minute is enough, stir and repeat if needed so it is hot but doesn't boil over). Or heat it in a small saucepan on the stove.
6) Final step: Pour the hot cream into the pan. Lower the heat and let the sauce bubble gently for another 5 minutes to combine the flavors.
7) Consistency and seasoning:
- If the sauce is too thick -> add a little water and cook briefly.
- If it is too thin -> cook it a little longer, it will thicken by reducing.
- Finally, taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
Serving: We like to eat this meal with our homemade potatoes, which I grow in the garden with my older son. I boil them peeled, cut into cubes with ground caraway seeds and salt, and after draining, I throw a piece of butter into the hot pot with them. However, the sauce is also great with rice, pasta, roasted potatoes, or French fries.
