Alabama Chicken Stew

Step 1

Place the chicken, onion, carrots, celery and garlic into a 6- or 8-quart electric pressure cooker. Add water to cover, ensuring not to pass the fill line on the cooker insert (about three-quarters full). Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 45 minutes. Once the cook time finishes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick-release any remaining pressure.

Step 2

Strain the stock into a large stockpot. Carefully remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board to cool. Discard the remaining strained solids. (If desired, remove the fat from the top of the stock using a fat separator and discard the fat.) Add the potatoes, onion and garlic to the stock in the stockpot; bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes. Editor's Tip: Simmering allows the potatoes to start breaking down while the onion and garlic soften and release some flavor into the stock.

Step 3

Once the cooked chicken is cool and easy to handle, remove the meat from the carcass. Break the meat into large chunks and set it aside. Discard the skin and bones. Editor's Tip: It should take about 10 minutes for the chicken to cool down.

Step 4

Add the chicken meat, tomatoes, corn, Worcestershire, salt and pepper to the potato mixture in the stockpot. Return the mixture to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring vigorously every five minutes or so, until the mixture reduces slightly and the chicken chunks become a shredded texture, about 30 minutes. Editor's Tip: While you don't need to stir the stew continuously as it cooks, you want to give it a good solid stir every time you do stir it. This helps the starches in the potatoes break down and thicken the stew, giving it a richer consistency with more of a cohesive stewy base. When serving, don't be afraid to top off each bowl with salt, pepper and hot sauce before digging in.