Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew is a hearty stew made with tender roasted meat, lots of vegetables, and barbecue sauce. It’s one of the quickest and easiest stews to put together.

Not only can you clean out your freezer and use up some of those frozen veggies, but it’s in addition perfect for using up leftover BBQ pulled pork or chicken. Another easy one-pot meal for the win!

All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Easy Brunswick Stew Recipe

Brunswick Stew is a Southern classic with origins that are still debated to this day. Some say it originated in Brunswick County, Virginia, while others claim Brunswick, Georgia, as its home.

Wherever it kicked off, one thing’s for sure: it’s a seriously delicious stew I can make with simple elements (which is always a winner in my house!), and it tastes even better the next day. I use BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes, shredded chicken, and various veggies and seasonings to create this seriously comforting, stick-to-your-ribs meal.

My family ALWAYS asks for seconds when I make this easy method!

Budget-Saving Tip

People often use pork and chicken in this recipe, but to make this more budget-friendly, I opted to use just shredded chicken. This recipe is perfect for using leftover chicken from a previous meal or a rotisserie chicken you got on disposal at the store.

But you can definitely add leftover pulled pork if you have some in your fridge! This is one of my favorite recipes to use up what I’ve got (and save a little money in the kitchen in the process!)

Brunswick Stew Recipe

- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)

- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.39) - 2 cloves of garlic, minced ($0.16) - 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.30)

- ¼ tsp smoked paprika ($0.03) - ¼ tsp garlic powder ($0.03)

- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.04) - 2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes* ($2.12)

- 1 cup frozen corn kernels ($0.45) - 1 cup frozen lima beans** ($0.80) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced ($1.20)

- ½ cup BBQ sauce*** ($0.65) - 4 cups cooked shredded chicken ($6.25)

- 3 cups chicken broth ($0.39) - Heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. - Stir in the tomato paste and spices (salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper).

Allow the tomato paste and spices to cook for about 30-45 seconds. - Now add in the diced tomatoes, frozen corn, frozen lima beans, potatoes, and BBQ sauce. - Add in the shredded chicken and chicken broth.

Stir everything together until well combined. - Bring the pot up to a boil then immediately lower the heat to medium-low heat and simmer the soup for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes if the potatoes are not fork tender, continue to simmer for 2-3 more minutes.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (optional) and serve with cornbread or crusty bread. See how we calculate method costs here.

Nutrition Information

how to make Brunswick Stew step-by-step photos Prepare the elements: Gather all of your elements.

Sauté the onion: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 diced onion and 2 cloves minced garlic. Sauté them for a few minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the seasonings: To the onions and garlic, mix in 2 Tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp black pepper.

Let them cook together for about 30-45 seconds. Doing this blooms the tomato paste and spices, intensifying their flavors…don’t skip this step!

Make the stew: Add two 14.5oz. cans diced tomatoes, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup frozen lima beans, 1 lb. diced Yukon gold potatoes, and ½ cup BBQ sauce to the pot. Give everything a good mix to evenly combine. Now, add in 4 cups cooked shredded chicken and 3 cups chicken broth.

Stir until all the elements are well combined. Cook the stew: Bring the pot up to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to medium-low.

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check the potatoes; if they’re not fork-tender, simmer for 2-3 more minutes.

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley (optional) and serve with all your favorite sides! - Use a different meat: Traditional Brunswick stew recipes used whatever they had on hand on that day.

Often, the meat used would be game, such as rabbits or squirrels. But nowadays, chicken is the most popular choice. You could in addition add (or swap the chicken for) pulled pork, shredded beef brisket, or even leftover shredded turkey breast.

Going to Shrimp would be nice, too,, at the end of cookery so they don’t overcook. - Switch up the vegetables: I like to use a mix of potato, corn, and lima beans as they’re budget-friendly and taste delicious. But you could add any vegetables you like, such as okra (a classic veggie found in this stew!), green beans, celery, or carrots.

- Spice it up: Add a splash of your favorite hot sauce or use a spicy BBQ sauce to give your stew an extra kick of heat. - Add more BBQ sauce: If the BBQ sauce is your favorite part of this stew (I get it!), I recommend drizzling a little extra on each bowl before serving. - Make it meat-free: I know, I know, “Brunswick stew” without the meat?

But hear me out—this recipe is very easy to make meat-free if needed. The chicken is already cooked, so you could simmer the stew (without the meat), serve it out, and add the cooked chicken to bowls individually.

You can in addition use vegetable broth instead of chicken. I’d bulk up the veggies used if making this recipe entirely vegetarian.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

I usually keep things simple and serve this stew with cornbread or crusty bread on the side.

I in addition like garnishing with a little fresh parley! Homemade biscuits would in addition be nice, as would a side of creamy coleslaw to pile on top of whatever bread you choose.

Storage & Reheating

Leftovers store well in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

I usually use the microwave to reheat individual portions, but you could as well reheat it in a pot on the stove. If it seems a little thick when reheating, feel free to add a splash of chicken broth or water.

This homemade Brunswick stew in addition freezes well, so long as you don’t mind the potatoes and veggies getting softer after freezing and thawing! Just freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 2-3 months. When ready to eat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.