Crock Pot Turkey Stew with Root Vegetables

Everything about this recipe screams Fall & Winter! The combination of the turkey and the various root vegetables make this soup hearty, filling & warming.

I am a huge fan of meals that you set in the crock-pot in the afternoon and then get to smell throughout the day as they cook. The anticipation of the finished meal, coupled with the fact that you don’t have to “cook” dinner right before dinner-time, is a win-win for me!

This dish is incredibly simple to make. The hardest part is actually locating bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs!

Many stores only carry turkey cuts like this around Thanksgiving. If that’s the case, you can always buy a large quantity when it is available and freeze it so you can make this dish over the winter as well. In the event that you can’t locate bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs, you can substitute with chicken instead. 

This heart stew has quickly become a family favorite! We hope you enjoy…

Crock Pot Turkey Stew with Root Vegetables
by Debbie Steinbock

Ingredients:
2 lbs. turkey thighs, bone-in and skin-on
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. sea salt, divided
5 cups chicken or turkey stock
4 stalks celery (1 cup), sliced
1 small yellow onion (1 cup), peeled and chopped
2 large carrots (1 cup), peeled and sliced
1 small turnip (1 cup), peeled and diced into ½” cubes
1 small-medium rutabaga (1 cup), peeled and diced into ½” cubes
1 tsp. herbs de provence
2 medium-large red skin potatoes (2 cups), peeled and diced into ½” cubes

Method:

1. In a large non-stick pan, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Brown the turkey thighs (skin-side down first) for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. Sprinkle a little sea salt on each side as you brown them.
2. Transfer the browned turkey thighs into the crock pot and add the broth. Set the crock pot to cook on high for 5 hours.
3. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan and cook the celery and onion for about 3-4 minutes. Next add the carrots, turnip and rutabaga and continue cooking everything together for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are nicely browned.
4. Transfer all the sautéed root vegetables into the crock pot. Add the remaining sea salt and herbs de provence.
5. After approximately 4-hours, remove the turkey thighs from the stew and place them on a plate to cool. Meanwhile, peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the crock pot. Once the turkey has cooled, discard the skin and bones and then shred and roughly chop the turkey meat and return it into the crock pot.
6. Let the stew continue to cook for 1-hour or until the potatoes are soft, but not mushy and falling apart.
7. Serve and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.