Stew Hen

Where a young roasting chicken is optimized for the oven, a stew hen is optimized for the pot. A stew hen is a mature laying hen — tougher than a broiler (whole chicken), but far more flavorful. The extra age means more developed muscle, more collagen, and a depth of chicken flavor that a broiler simply cannot match.

Low and slow is the key. Given gentle simmering, the meat becomes tender and pulls easily from the bone, while the resulting broth is extraordinarily rich — golden, gelatinous, and deeply flavored in a way that makes every soup, stew, or sauce built from it noticeably better. Use them for the most extraordinary chicken stock you have ever tasted, classic chicken and dumplings, or a rich French-style coq au vin. The pulled meat is equally good shredded into the broth for a simple chicken soup or folded into a chicken salad.

Single birds are $11.75 each (2.00 to 2.49 lbs). Stock up with 5 birds for $50.00 (save 15%).

Also in the shop: our slow-simmered chicken bone broth for a ready-made option, and our Chicken Broth Parts Bundle and chicken necks for those who want to build their own.

Photographs for broth parts all use the same perspective on 3 different container sizes to help you reference the quantity you may want to purchase. This photograph uses a 10.25" diameter 5.5 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. Others use a 7" diameter 2 quart or a 14" diameter 13.25 quart.