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This Brunswick Stew for One is a hearty Southern classic made with chicken, sausage, beans, and vegetables simmered in a smoky-sweet tomato base. It’s a one-pot recipe that’s simple to make, full of flavor, and perfectly portioned for a single serving.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Single Serving: Perfectly portioned for one bowl of Brunswick stew.
- One-Pot Recipe: Easy to make with simple cleanup.
- Hearty & Flavorful: Chicken, sausage, beans, and vegetables in a smoky-sweet tomato base.
- Southern Comfort Food: A classic stew made simple, bringing warmth and tradition to the table.
- Adaptable: Swap proteins or vegetables based on what you have.
What I love most about this Brunswick stew is how comforting and satisfying it feels without being complicated.
With tender chicken, smoky sausage, and a mix of vegetables simmering together, every bite is full of flavor. It’s the kind of meal I turn to when I want something warm and hearty that comes together easily, giving me all the goodness of a classic Southern stew in a simple, single serving.
Enjoy with a buttery small batch of cornbread, coleslaw for one, a single serving of rice, or garlic buttermilk biscuits. You can also serve the stew over creamy mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch Brunswick stew recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Boneless skinless chicken thigh: Tender, juicy protein with more flavor than chicken breast. Extra chicken can be used in chicken tikka masala for one, chicken cacciatore for one, or small chicken and rice casserole.
- Sausage: Adds smoky depth. Use mild or spicy. Extra sausage works well in bangers and mash for one, slow cooker chickpeas or jambalaya for one.
- Tomato paste: Deepens the tomato base. Leftovers can be used in lasagna soup for one or tuscan chicken for one.
- Red potato: One small red potato adds texture. Swap with diced sweet potato for a different flavor. Extra potatoes can be used in a burger bowl, single serving german potato salad or vegetable soup for one.
- Corn: Adds sweetness and texture. Fresh, frozen, or canned all work. Use extras in chicken fried rice for one, mini corn casserole, or single serving mexican corn dip.
- Northern beans: Creamy and mild. A great alternative to traditional lima beans. Leftovers can be used in a single serving white bean soup.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Include both tomatoes and juices for a rich broth. Leftovers can be used in chicken paprika for one or a small batch of spanish rice.
- BBQ sauce: Thick, tomato-based sauce adds sweetness to the stew. For a less sweet option, try a Carolina-style sauce. You can also use our small batch BBQ sauce recipe for a homemade option.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of the stew. Vegetable broth works too. Extra broth can be used in chicken divan for one, split pea soup for one, or mini mushroom casserole.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
This Brunswick stew is flexible and can be made to suit your taste. Try these ideas:
- Turkey Instead of Chicken: Use leftover turkey for a flavorful swap.
- Vegetarian: Skip the meat and add more beans and vegetables for a hearty version.
- Vegan: Replace the meat with tofu and use vegetable broth.
- Seafood Stew: Stir in shrimp or crab for a coastal twist.
- Extra Vegetables: Add carrots, bell peppers, or green beans for more variety.
How To Make Brunswick Stew
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how make this easy Brunswick stew recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook 2–3 minutes per side until browned but not fully cooked.
- Add sausage and cook 1 minute, flipping once.
- Stir in onions and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 30 seconds.
- Add potatoes, corn, beans, diced tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, remaining salt, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Brown the Meat: Browning the chicken and sausage first adds rich flavor to the stew.
- Use the Tomato Paste: It deepens the tomato base and balances the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
- Beans: Northern beans are creamy and mild, while lima beans are traditional. Use whichever you prefer.
- BBQ Sauce Matters: A thick tomato-based sauce adds sweetness; Carolina-style brings a tangier, less sweet flavor.
- Doubling the Recipe: Use a larger pot so the ingredients cook evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, it was made with game meats like rabbit or squirrel, but today chicken and pork are most common. In this single serving recipe, chicken and sausage give it great flavor.
Lima beans are traditional, but Northern beans are a great alternative with a creamy texture and mild flavor.
Yes. Skip the meat and add more beans and vegetables, then use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
This single serving Brunswick stew simmers for about 30 minutes, which allows the flavors to blend and the vegetables to become tender.
Simmer uncovered until it reduces and thickens. You can also mash some of the beans or potatoes in the pot for a thicker texture.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serving brunswick stew recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Brunswick Stew For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (3 to 4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thigh -cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt -divided
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ ounces smoked sausage -thickly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 small red potato -peeled and diced (2 to 2 ½ oz)
- ¼ cup corn
- ¼ cup canned Northern beans or lima beans – rinsed and drained
- ½ cup canned diced tomatoes with some of their juices
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons bbq sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with ⅛ teaspoon of salt and pepper, then cook 2–3 minutes per side until browned but not fully cooked.
- Add sausage and cook 1 minute, flipping once.
- Stir in onions and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 30 seconds.
- Add potatoes, corn, beans, diced tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Brown the Meat: Browning the chicken and sausage first adds rich flavor to the stew.
- Use the Tomato Paste: It deepens the tomato base and balances the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
- Beans: Northern beans are creamy and mild, while lima beans are traditional. Use whichever you prefer.
- BBQ Sauce Matters: A thick tomato-based sauce adds sweetness; Carolina-style brings a tangier, less sweet flavor.
- Doubling the Recipe: Use a larger pot so the ingredients cook evenly.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I grew up in the rural South. Our Brunswick Stew either had squirrel or rabbit meat. That’s the original recipe.
Thank you for sharing! I love hearing about the traditional ways Brunswick Stew was made—those authentic touches like squirrel or rabbit meat really show how recipes carry so much history! These days, most folks tend to use chicken or pork, but it’s wonderful to honor those original ingredients that make the dish so unique.
How do I make the soup thicker? Also, don’t add BBQ sauce – it is not a true southern Brunswick Stew.
Thank you for your comment! My version of Brunswick Stew is one I’ve adapted for a single serving, based on the stews I’ve enjoyed over the years. I like the mild sweetness and vibrant flavor that the BBQ sauce adds, though I know there are many variations out there.
If you’d like to make the stew thicker, you can simmer it a bit longer to reduce the liquid or even mash some of the vegetables. Adding a little cornstarch mixed with water can also help thicken it up.
I appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoy making the recipe your way!
This North Carolina Girl living in Chicagoland is excited by this recipe! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you’re excited about the recipe! I hope it brings a little taste of home to you. Thanks so much for sharing, and I’d love to hear how it turns out for you!
Good recipe.