Crockpot Ham and Bean Stew with Chicken
This slow cooker white bean and ham stew with chicken and kale is so easy–just set it and forget it. It is the perfect cooler weather recipe that will bubble away on your countertop all day.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Crockpot Bean Stew
With a busy season ahead, I am all about the make-ahead meals right now! So prepare yourselves for many more of these “set it and forget it” kind of recipes to show up here in the months to come.
Not only does having a slow cooker meal make life more doable, but it makes the house smell so cozy! The smoky ham, herbs and pinch of nutmeg make it smell so yummy when we walk in the door!
Just stir the fresh sage and kale in for the last hour of cooking for the best flavor and texture. If you can’t do that because you don’t have time, that’s fine, just add them in the beginning. But don’t add the salt and acid until the very end (they’ll keep the beans from cooking correctly).
Serve this with homemade Whole Wheat Bread or make a batch of Parmesan Leek Muffins to go with it for an hearty Crockpot weeknight meal.
Ingredients For This Recipe
Navy beans
Navy beans are very closely related to the larger cannelloni bean. They have a very soft and silky texture, and are a great source of fiber. They pair extremely well with meat, and are wonderful in stews and soups (which is exactly why I chose them for this recipe!).
Ham
I love using ham in recipes. It’s so salty, which makes it a great match for those velvety white navy beans. I love buying an extra large piece of ham when I make this stew because I can use it for other recipes as well, such as this Slow Cooker Ham Barley Soup with Spinach Pesto, or just eat it plain with a side of mashed potatoes. Yum!
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
I know this stew already has ham, but hey, two proteins are better than one, right? Chicken thighs don’t always get the best rep, but trust me. They are so juicy and packed with meaty flavor, and as long as you cut off the excess fat, they’re not any worse for you than chicken breasts.
Other Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 8 cups water, or home-made unsalted chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons Herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 cups chopped kale, no ribs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 6 teaspoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Step-by-Step Instructions For This Slow Cooker Ham And Bean Stew Recipe
Step 1: Combine ingredients & cook
Stir to combine the onion, water or stock, beans, chicken, ham, herbs de Provence, pepper and nutmeg in the insert of a large slow cooker. Cover and set over low heat for 8 hours.
Step 2: Add kale & other seasonings
When the timer has 1 hour remaining, stir in the kale, sage, vinegar or lemon and salt, then cover and continue to cook until the timer goes off, about 1 hour later. Garnish with parsley before serving.
FAQs and Expert Tips
If you don’t have navy beans or can’t find them, use white Cannellini beans or Great Northern beans.
Although this soup requires very little prep and very few steps, it does have to simmer for quite some time. If you want, you could make this in advance, then freeze the soup in individual containers. Simply remove the container from the freezer a few hours before, and finish dethawing in the microwave or on the stove. If you have a busy morning, feel free to set the soup up in the slow cooker insert and refrigerate overnight.
Yes it will work fine in larger models. If you don’t have a regular crockpot, simply use the slow cooker setting on your Instant pot.
You don’t technically need either to make this recipe. It just makes it so that you can let it sit and cook all day without having to tend to it. However, if you find yourself craving this soup randomly for dinner one night, just make it in a large pot on the stove, and simmer for an hour or so, until all the flavors have melded together.
Additional Hearty Soups and Stew Recipes To Try
- This Slow Cooker Vegetable Bean Soup is hearty and delicious and vegan too!
- My Minestrone Soup is another veggie-packed soup to try.
- This Lentil Soup is on the Best of Healthy Seasonal Recipes list because it is an all-time favorite!
- Don’t miss our Corn Chowder either. It is made with fresh corn cut off the cob and thickened with potatoes instead of roux.
- Don’t miss this veggie and sausage stew: Slow Cooker Kielbasa, Cabbage and Potato Soup or this Potato Kale and Andouille Soup either.
- This Slow Cooker Chinese 5-Spice Beef Stew will warm you up on the inside!
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Okra is more of a stew than soup, but it is another great slow cooker meal.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintCrockpot Ham and Bean Stew with Chicken
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 cups 1x
Description
Slow Cooker White Bean Stew with Chicken, Ham and Kale. Fresh sage plus a pinch of nutmeg add flavor to this fix it and forget it crockpot meal. Gluten-free and grain-free.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 8 cups water, or home-made unsalted chicken broth
- 1 pound navy beans, sorted and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 cups cubed ham, about 12 ounces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 cups chopped kale, no ribs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 6 teaspoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Stir onion, water or stock, beans, chicken, ham, herbs de provence, pepper and nutmeg in the insert of a large slow cooker. Cover and set for low heat for 8 hours.
- When timer has 1 hour remaining, stir in kale, sage, vinegar or lemon and salt, cover and continue cooking until the timer goes off about 1 hour later. Garnish with parsley before serving.
Notes
Make Ahead:
Assemble the stew in the insert of the slow cooker and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Place in the slow cooker and follow instructions for cooking.
Freezing Instructions:
This recipe can be frozen up to three months. Chill before sealing in a storage container and freeze. To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator and let thaw for two days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 126
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 378 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
So comforting, easy, and delicious! The flavors of this soup are incredible and I am always looking for delicious new slow cooker ideas. We had it with a caesar salad and crusty bread and it was a hit!
The beans really add such a delicious addition to the stew. I adore it.
I love stews in winter especially ones that can be made in advance and/or in the slow cooker. This bean stew with ham and chicken looks so hearty and delicious. On my to make list for when the weather gets cooler!
My slow cooker is sadly neglected in the summer but you’ve inspired me to get mine out of the cupboard and use it
This was such a delicious and comforting meal. Even my fussy kids enjoyed it too.
Do we need to presoak our beans or just throw in crockpot dry?
No it is not necessary to soak them. Just sort them and give them a little rinse.
Slow cooker to the rescue! I would love to have this bubbling away on my counter all day. I’m sure it makes the whole house smell like comfort!
Thank goodness for the slow cooker. Ha ha. Thanks so much for coming by my friend. I hope you’re doing well.
my slow cooker just broke and I need to get a new one ASAP so I can make this. Looks all kinds of comforting!
Mine did too last year (it cracked… ugh) but my new one is even better, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing. Thanks so much for coming by Des.
Love that there is kale in here. ham and bean soup is a seasonal favorite.
I have been sneaking kale into so much of our meals lately. I have a whole row of it in the garden! I love any soup at this time of year. I just cant help myself.
Ha ha – just wait until high school sports! This looks so delicious. And I’m dying over those bowls!
Oh Jeeze, I am so sure that high school will be even more intense. Good thing I have a flexible schedule with my work so I can be there for it all. Thanks for coming by today.
Katie – I’m sending you all the strength you need – but then again, seeing you made this flavorful and protein and veggie packed soup – you might have all the strength you need already! This sounds absolutely delightful to make and eat and a natural house deodorizer! I hope you gals like soccer – my daughter played it from the time she was 4 till she was 15 – and LOVED it!
I am blown away how well they have taken to it and I have a feeling there will be many years of cheering them from the sidelines in my future.
YUMMY YUMMY IN THE TUMMY
HOPE YOU LIVE THROUGH THE WEEKEND !
SENDING THE STRENGTH OF NM MOUNTAINS
LQUISA
Hi Louisa. This is a great one for you to try and keep in mind you can freeze pints of it and defrost all season long. So glad you came by and left a comment. I hope you are well.