Warming Eggplant Chicken Recipe

eggplant chicken stew served over polenta in a brown bowl with a spoon.

5 from 3 votes

Warming Eggplant Chicken Recipe

Try our delicious eggplant chicken stew, a comforting dish with tender chicken and flavorful eggplant in a fragrant sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: Main Course, Poultry

Cuisine: Romanian

Servings: servings

Calories: 475kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or another thick-bottomed pot

Ingredients

2 eggplants about 1.3 lbs/ 600 g
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs 900 g
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions about 5.5 oz/ 150 g
2 large garlic cloves
1 cup chicken stock 230 ml Note 1
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence Note 2
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes more to taste
1 can diced tomatoes 14 oz/400 g
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch Note 3
1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar to taste
a pinch of sugar
fine sea salt or kosher salt
ground black pepper

Instructions

Eggplants: Wash, dry, and trim off their stem ends using a sharp knife. Cut them into equally-sized cubes, about ½-inch/ 1 ½ cm.
2 eggplants
Chicken thighs: Pat them dry with paper towels and cut them into 1-inch/ 3 cm cubes.
2 lbs/ 900 g chicken thighs
Chop the onions and the garlic.
2 large onions + 2 large garlic cloves
Sauté: Heat the oil in the pot and sauté the onions for about 3 minutes. Add chicken and sauté for another 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and searing the chicken on all sides. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
2 tablespoon oil
Simmer: Add eggplants and stir well to combine. Pour in the chicken stock, add salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence, and chili flakes. Cover and cook gently on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
1 cup/ 230 ml chicken stock + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper + 1 teaspoon dried herbs + ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Add the canned tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes until the eggplants are soft. Make sure to check; uncooked eggplants are not nice.
1 can tomatoes
Thicken the sauce: Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk the slurry into the sauce and let it bubble shortly to thicken the stew. You might not need it all; stir it in gradually and stop when you think it is enough.
1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon cold water
Adjust the taste with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (up to 2 tsp, to taste), a pinch of sugar, more salt, and pepper.
1-2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + a pinch of sugar + salt and pepper to taste

Notes

Chicken stock: I usually use homemade chicken stock, which I keep in the freezer. But store-bought low-sodium chicken stock works well too. Using low-sodium is better for stews, so they won't become too salty when the liquid reduces.
Herbs de Provence: You can replace them with other dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, marjoram, savory, or oregano. You can even use a combination of these herbs. If you have fennel seeds and like their taste, add a tiny pinch for extra flavor.
Cornstarch: You can thicken the stew, but it's not required. Depending on your pot and heat level, the sauce might naturally reduce enough, making cornstarch unnecessary.

Nutrition