Fanny’s Slow Chicken Stew

I have very fond memories of my mother-in-law, especially her cooking!  I remember the fun evenings coming to visit my wife at her parent's very large home in rural Connecticut.  Fanny would make this stew for a crowd in a huge pot.  She'd look back and forth at the pot and the crowd in the living room, and ask - now what else can I put in here!?  There was always plenty.
4 bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
2 bone-in chicken breast halves, cut in half
1 lb Italian sausages, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced (about 1-1/2 to 2 cups)
3 carrots, peeled and cut at a diagonal, 1-1/2 inch
2 Tbsp rosemary, crushed
2 tsp fresh lemon thyme, minced, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 lb fresh button mushrooms, washed, dried and sliced thickly (1/4-inch)
4-5 Russet potatoes, or the equivalent (peeled unless very young and small), about 2 lb, I used a combination of Russet, peeled, and baby red, unpeeled

1 lb Polish kielbasa, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
water as needed

I will refer to the “pot” as a direct browning slow cooker, but it could be a Dutch oven or a pot on the stove.

Brown the chicken pieces with a dash of olive oil in the pot, over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, turning several times.

Remove chicken to a large bowl and keep warm.

Add the onion, carrot and sausage to the pot and brown for about 10 minutes, gently stirring, every once in a while.

Add the rosemary, thyme and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Remove the sausage mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Heat a dash of olive oil in the pot set to high. Add the mushrooms. Let them cook until they release what water they will and then brown up a bit. This should take about 10 minutes, with regular stirring.

Return the chicken and sausage mixture to the pot and add the kielbasa, potatoes and tomatoes. Add the broth and wine, and just enough water (if necessary) to almost cover the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on low for 4 hours in the slow cooker. Otherwise bring to a gentle boil on the stove, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour.

Serve in bowls. Serves 6-8.

Cook’s note: I prepared the dish the night before and let sit in the refrigerator. The next morning I placed it in the slow cooker and cooked on low for 4 hours. The I returned from work that day it was steaming and ready to go.