Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew is a Southern classic: a hearty chicken stew in a tomato-based broth with vegetables like white corn, butter beans (aka baby lima beans), and potatoes. Its history dates back to the late 19th-century American South, though its precise origin is a matter of debate. Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia all claim it, and it’s easy to see why they would—it’s a stew to be proud of. There are regional differences of course, especially regarding the type of meat and the stew's thickness. Pork is often used today, especially in Georgia and North Carolina, but ours is eastern-Virginia style: chicken-based and brothy.

This one-pot meal works on its own, but serving it with biscuits or rolls never hurts. Our Copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits would be great dunker.

Here are our top tips:

If you have Homemade Chicken Broth around, definitely use it—you won’t be sorry. Otherwise, your preferred packaged brand will do. 

Any cooked, pulled chicken is great. We prefer to use a rotisserie chicken, but if you prefer not to deal with bones or dark meat, you can always parboil or roast chicken breasts. 

If the stew is thicker than you’d like and you want to thin it out, you can preserve the balance of flavors by stirring tomato paste into additional chicken broth before adding it.

Looking for more Southern-inspired dishes? We’ve got plenty.

Did you make this stew? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!