Mild oat and chicken stew with parsnip

Mild oat and chicken stew with chicken breast, carrots, parsnip and oats – a stew for light cooking, without hot spices.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 10 min
• Cooking time: 25 min
• Total time: 35 min
• Calories: 340 kcal per serving
• Protein: 32 g
• Fat: 5 g
• Carbs: 38 g

Ingredients

• 150 g chicken breast
• 2 carrots
• 40 g instant oat flakes or porridge oats
• 1 pinch of unrefined salt
• 600 ml low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 parsnip
• 1 sprig of parsley

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon · ladle

1. Finely chop the carrots and parsnip and bring them to the boil in the low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer over a gentle heat until the root veg is soft.
2. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and add them to the stock. Let everything cook gently over a low heat so the meat stays tender.
3. Stir in the instant oat flakes or porridge oats and simmer briefly. The stew turns slightly creamy and soft.
4. Season with a pinch of unrefined salt. Leave out pepper and hot spices on purpose so the flavour stays mild.
5. Finely chop the fresh parsley. Stir it in only briefly, or scatter it over right at the end.
6. Best eaten slowly, while it's still soft and steaming.

Good to know

Some days call for something mild, and a gentle stew just hits the spot. This one is soft, warm and pleasantly simple.

Swaps

Chicken breast → turkey breast (lean, with plenty of protein) Instant oat flakes/porridge oats → millet flakes (gluten-free, with minerals) Parsnip → sweet potato (mild, more fibre and more beta-carotene) Low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock → homemade bone or vegetable stock without additives (fewer additives, easier to control the salt)

Allergens

The recipe contains gluten (oats) – with coeliac disease, use certified gluten-free oats. Check the chicken stock carefully for children and during pregnancy, and make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Frequently asked questions

Which oats work best here?

Fine oats such as instant oat flakes or porridge oats cook down quickly and turn soft, which gives the stew its creamy texture. How fine you like them is a matter of personal taste.

What nutrients do carrots and parsnips contain?

Carrots mainly provide beta-carotene, plus potassium and a little vitamin K. Parsnips contain fibre as well as potassium and a little folate, among other things.

Why is chicken breast popular in a stew like this?

Chicken breast is lean and provides lots of protein with little fat. Cooked gently in stock, it usually stays tender, and many people find it pleasantly light.

Is parsley just decoration, or does it matter nutritionally?

Parsley contains vitamin K, vitamin C and plant compounds. The amount in the recipe is fairly small, so its contribution is there, but not huge.

Does the choice of stock make a difference here?

Yes – strongly seasoned or very salty stocks don't suit everyone's taste. A mild, low-sodium stock without hot spices is usually the better choice for this mild stew.

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