Khmer Krom Chicken Stew

5.0 from 1 vote

There are some dishes that feel like home the moment you smell them cooking. For me, this Khmer Krom Chicken Stew is one of those dishes. It’s warm, gentle, and deeply comforting in a way that doesn’t try too hard. The aroma of garlic and onion hitting hot oil, followed by tomato sauce and bay leaf, always takes me back to family gatherings and long tables filled with laughter.

This stew has a quiet elegance to it. It reflects the Khmer Krom community’s history, shaped by both Cambodian roots and French colonial influence. You’ll notice it in the tomato-based sauce, the soft vegetables, and especially the way it’s meant to be eaten with crusty bread instead of rice.

If you’ve never cooked Khmer food before, don’t worry. This Khmer Krom Chicken Stew is very beginner-friendly. The steps are simple, the ingredients are easy to find, and the result feels special without being complicated.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

This stew is gentle but full of flavor. It’s not spicy or overwhelming. Everything works together quietly, letting the chicken, vegetables, and tomato sauce shine without fighting each other.

It’s also a dish that feeds a crowd well. That’s why it often shows up at weddings, family reunions, and holiday gatherings. You can make a big pot, set it in the middle of the table, and let everyone help themselves.

Another reason I love this stew is how forgiving it is. You don’t need perfect knife skills or exact measurements. If your carrots are a little bigger or your potatoes cook a bit longer, it still turns out good. That kind of flexibility is comforting, especially for home cooks.

My Personal Experience

I first learned to appreciate this stew not from a recipe card, but from watching older family members cook it without measuring anything. They cooked by smell, by sound, and by instinct. When the onions softened just enough. When the sauce thickened slightly. When the chicken felt tender under the spoon.

At weddings, this stew was always there. Big pots lined up in the kitchen, steam fogging the windows. Someone would tear open bags of bread while another stirred the pot slowly, careful not to break the potatoes.

Now when I cook it at home, I slow down. I let the onions soften fully. I listen to the gentle bubbling of the stew as it simmers. It’s not rushed food. It asks you to be present, even just a little.

Easy-to-Find Ingredients

One thing I truly appreciate about this recipe is how accessible it is. You don’t need specialty markets or rare spices. Most of these ingredients can be found at a regular grocery store.

The vegetables are simple and familiar. Potatoes, carrots, onions. The seasonings are basic too, using soy sauce and black pepper instead of complicated spice blends.

Even the canned ingredients like tomato sauce and mushrooms are things many of us already keep in the pantry. This makes the recipe easy to return to again and again.

Ingredients List

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 lbs (900 g) boneless chicken (dark or white meat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 small red potatoes, halved
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup sweet baby pickles
1 can (6 oz / 170 g) whole button mushrooms
1 cup frozen sweet peas (optional)
1 can (8 oz / 230 g) tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 bay leaf

Why These Ingredients Are Used

Vegetable oil – Creates a gentle base for sautéing
Garlic and onion – Build the stew’s aroma and warmth
Chicken – The heart of the dish, tender and filling
Soy sauce – Adds savory depth without overpowering
Sugar – Balances the acidity of the tomato sauce
Black pepper – Adds mild warmth, not heat
Potatoes – Make the stew hearty and comforting
Carrots – Bring natural sweetness and color
Sweet pickles – A subtle tang that surprises many people
Mushrooms – Add softness and absorb flavor well
Sweet peas – Optional brightness and texture
Tomato sauce – The French-influenced backbone of the stew
Bay leaf – Adds quiet depth while simmering

Cooking Equipment Needed

Large soup pot – Deep enough to simmer everything evenly
Wooden spoon – Gentle on potatoes while stirring
Cutting board – For prepping vegetables safely
Knife – A sharp, comfortable one makes things easier

Cooking Instructions

Start by warming your soup pot over medium heat. Once the pot feels hot, add the oil. You’ll know it’s ready when the oil moves easily across the bottom.

Add the garlic and onion first. Stir gently and let them soften. You’re not rushing here. Let the onion turn slightly translucent and fragrant before adding the chicken.

When the chicken goes in, stir to coat it with the oil and aromatics. Season with salt, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. The smell at this stage is soft and savory.

Add the vegetables, tomato sauce, water, and bay leaf. Stir everything gently. Bring the stew to a simmer, then lower the heat and let it cook slowly until the chicken and potatoes are tender.

Step-by-Step Directions

Heat a soup pot over medium heat
Add oil, garlic, and onion, stirring until fragrant
Add chicken and stir to combine
Season with salt, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper
Add potatoes, carrots, pickles, mushrooms, peas, tomato sauce, water, and bay leaf
Stir gently and bring to a simmer
Lower heat and cook until chicken and potatoes are tender
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed

Tips for Best Flavor

Let the onions soften fully before adding chicken
Simmer gently, not boiling hard
Taste near the end and adjust salt lightly
Let the stew rest a few minutes before serving

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with crusty French or Italian bread
Pair with a light cucumber salad
Enjoy as a main dish for family meals
Perfect for gatherings and celebrations

Final Thoughts

This Khmer Krom Chicken Stew is more than just food. It’s a reminder of shared tables, borrowed traditions, and the quiet beauty of simple cooking. Every time I make it, I feel connected to the people who made it before me.

If you enjoy comforting soups like this, you might also love Tofu Chicken Soup or Banana Flowers with Coconut Chicken, both recipes that bring warmth without complexity.

For deeper cultural reading, I recommend exploring French colonial influences on Southeast Asian cuisine, which help explain why dishes like this stew exist at all.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I use bone-in chicken?

A: Yes, just allow a little more cooking time.

Q: Is the sweet pickle necessary?

A: It adds balance, but you can reduce or skip it if preferred.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes, it tastes even better the next day.

Khmer Krom Chicken Stew

Recipe by Cambodia Recipe

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: StewCuisine: CambodianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

420

Total time

hour

minutes

This Khmer Krom Chicken Stew is a gentle, tomato-based chicken stew with soft vegetables and subtle French influence, traditionally served at celebrations and enjoyed with crusty bread.

Ingredients

Metric US

2 tablespoons 2 vegetable oil
2 cloves 2 garlic, minced
1 1 yellow onion, sliced
2 lbs 2 (900 gram) of boneless chicken meat either dark or white
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 salt
1 tablespoon 1 soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon 1/2 sugar
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 black pepper
5 small 5 red potatoes, cleaned and cut into half
1 cup 1 baby carrot
1/2 cup 1/2 sweet baby(midgets) pickles
1 1 canned (6 oz or 170 gram), whole button mushroom
1 cup 1 frozen sweet pea (option)
1 1 canned (8 oz or 230 gram) Hunt’s tomato sauce
2 cups 2 water
1 1 bay leaf

Directions

Preheat a soup pot. When it hot, add oil, garlic, onion and chicken, stirs well.
Seasoning with salt, soy sauce, sugar and black pepper.
Add potato, carrot, sweet pickle, mushroom, peas, tomato sauce, water and bay leaf, stirs well, simmering till chicken meat and potato tender.