This slow cooker lamb stew recipe with roasted hatch chile peppers is a hearty, spicy stew that goes beautifully over rice. You get tender lamb meat with a spicy kick makes this a satisfying dinner. If you don’t like spice, I include a non-spicy version too!

Two plates of lamb stew over rice.

(This post was sponsored by Veetee Dine In Rice but all raving opinions are my own.)

If you have been reading along with me the past few weeks, I have been talking about school starting. I always worry that our family will be too busy to enjoy family dinners together. This new hearty slow cooker stew is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It is comforting on cold winter days, and it tastes delicious packed in a thermos for lunch.

This easy lamb stew with hatch chile peppers cooks up in your slow cooker during the day, and it is ready when you get home! It is an original recipe I created for fun. If you love lamb, you also will want to try these delicious, juicy Lamb Sliders.

Veetee precooked rice in container.

Why This Lamb Stew Is Great:

Have you seen the new pre-cooked rice by Veetee Dine In yet? This GMO-free rice is heated in your microwave, and they are ready in just 2 minutes. No more waiting for the water to boil; these make it much easier on busy school nights!

  1. This is an amazing stew that is one of the best stew recipes. This one-pot meal tastes even better the next day!
  2. Since we are in hatch chile season, I wanted to create a recipe with roasted chiles. I include both spicy and mild versions of this recipe.
  3. Lamb has a meaty flavor that I knew would absorb the spiciness of the hatch chiles.
  4. I used my slow cooker so that I could cook everything on low heat all day, making the meat soft and tender.
  5. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.

If you love slow cooker meals as much as we do, you are going to love these gluten free slow cooker recipes.

Ingredient Notes:

  1. Lamb – You can buy lamb in any grocery store or hit your local butcher for the best lamb shoulder cut. I like shoulder cuts, but any cut of lamb will work well. I avoid using lamb with bones to keep it simple.
  2. Beef Broth – I recommend using low sodium, but regular is fine to use. If you can find lamb stock, that is also good to use. Do not use chicken stock.
  3. Onions – I like to use sweet yellow onions.
  4. Roasted Hatch Chile – These are spicy peppers if you do not want your lamb stew recipe to turn out spicy, substitute roasted red pepper or green bell peppers.
  5. Garlic – You can use fresh garlic cloves that are minced or jarred minced garlic.
  6. Root Vegetables – This is optional, but You can add root vegetables like parsnips, carrots, and potatoes if you like. Sweet potato is another good root veggie to add, and the end result is amazing because the sweetness blends nicely with the spice from the hatch chiles.
Peeling hatch chiles with gloves on.
Top Tip: Always wear gloves when peeling spicy peppers!

Tips for Roasting Hatch Chiles:

If you have never roasted hatch chiles before, it is really easy.

  • Light up your grill on medium heat.
  • Toss the washed chiles onto the grill.
  • Allow the chiles to char and roast.
  • Remove the chiles from the grill and allow them to cool.
  • Put on rubber gloves and then peel the charred peels off. Take out the seeds, and they are ready to be used in any recipe!

Recipe Step By Step Directions:

I call this a dump-and-go recipe…it is so easy to prep on a busy morning. There is very little prep work needed for this slow cooker meal if you buy lamb stew meat because it is already cut up for stew.

Lamb, onion, and hatch chiles in the crockpot.

Step 1: The first step is to cut the lamb shoulder into one or two-inch cubes. Add the chunks of lamb, chiles, onion, beef broth, and spices to the crockpot.

Optional: If you would like the outside of the meat to be brown, you can brown the outside of the lamb stew meat on the stovetop in a large skillet with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side of the meat. I did not do this, but many do prefer browning the meat first, so I wanted to give that option.

Veetee Wholegrain Brown Rice in containers.

This Veetee Dine-In rice is cooked to the perfect consistency without any mushy rice! Because our whole family is gluten free, we eat rice 2-3 times per week. Creating easy recipes that can be served on top of rice is always fun.

Step 2: Cover the slow cooker and cook the lamb stew at a low temperature for 6 hours. This slow cooking time really helps slow-cook flavor into your stew. If you are in a hurry, cook on the high setting for 4 hours.

Some slow cookers have a setting where the temperature starts out high, then automatically switches to low after two hours.

Step 3: If you like a thick sauce, take a little of the liquid from the slow cooker and add it to a small bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch or potato starch. Whisk to blend. Pour the mixture into the stew and mix well to thicken the sauce.

Lamb and Roasted Hatch Chile Pepper Stew on fork.

Step 4: Serve the stew hot over rice.

The slow cooker lamb recipe cooks up and stays moist and delicious. Serve with any type of green salad to make it a meal. Serve with gluten free crusty bread like my gluten free breadsticks or my gluten free yeast rolls.

Tips and Recipe FAQ:

What cut of lamb is best for stew?

Lamb shoulder is very moist and is great for a lamb stew. If you have a different cut of lamb, like the loin, that is fine because this recipe slows cooks in the Crock Pot all day…which really helps tenderize meat. I used a package of lamb stew meat, which many grocery stores carry.

Can you make lamb stew without hatch chiles?

If you don’t like spicy foods, you can definitely make this lamb stew without the hatch chiles. You can use bell or roasted red peppers for a non-spicy pepper flavor.

How long will this slow cooker lamb stew keep fresh in the fridge?

This lamb stew will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container.

Can you freeze lamb stew?

You can easily freeze this lamb stew recipe. Place the cooled stew in either a freezer-safe container or a zipper bag. It will keep fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.

More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes:

Two plates of lamb stew over rice.

Slow Cooker Lamb Stew With Hatch Chiles

Sandi Gaertner
This is an easy spicy slow cooker lamb stew with roasted hatch chile peppers. I also include a non-spicy version!
4.86 from 7 votes
dairy free allergen icon
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
a sugar free allergen icon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course Gluten Free Dinner Recipes, Meal Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 171 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup roasted hatch chiles Less if you don’t want spicy!
  • 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Optional: Root vegetables
  • 2 cups cooked rice

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients into a crockpot.
  • Optional: If you would like the outside of the meat to be brown, you can brown the outsides of the lamb stew meat on the stovetop in a large skillet with olive oil. Cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side of the meat. I did not do this, but many do prefer browning the meat first so I wanted to give that option.
  • Cover the slow cooker and roast the lamb stew at a low temperature for 6 hours. This slow cooking time really helps slow cook flavor into your stew. If you are in a hurry, cook on the high setting for 4 hours.
  • If you like a thick sauce, take a little of the liquid from the slow cooker and add it to a small bowl. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of corn starch or potato starch. Whisk to blend. Pour the mixture back into the stew and mix well to thicken the sauce.

Notes

  1. If you would like to make this recipe not spicy, substitute the hatch chiles for either roasted red peppers or bell peppers.
  2. Lamb shoulder is very moist and is great for a lamb stew. If you have a different cut of lamb, like the loin, that is fine because this recipe slows cooks in the Crock Pot all day…which really helps tenderize meat. I used a package of lamb stew meat, which many grocery stores carry.
  3. This lamb stew will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container. You can also freeze this lamb stew recipe. Place the cooled stew in either a freezer-safe container or zipper bag. It will keep fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 171kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 16gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 470mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 0.3IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

This post was updated from an older August 2016 post with more information and recipe details.

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20 Comments

  1. It says “add all ingredients”… but don’t add the cooked rice. You don’t even need rice — you can put this over mashed potatoes too — its got gravy!

  2. This is delicious! I just had it for Sunday dinner and my only wish is that the sauce/liquid were thicker. Any advice/thoughts?

    1. Thank you so much, Renee. To thicken the sauce, I would recommend whisking in cornstarch or tapioca flour when it is done. Thank you so much for coming to say you loved this.

  3. 5 stars
    This looks amazing! I’m definitely going to try this this week, I love that the rice looks super easy to use. Perfect for traveling with! Thanks for including my Butter Chicken, too! 🙂

  4. I anxiously wait for every August when my grocery store carries hatch chiles. What a great way to use them!

  5. I am loving those little rice packets. Perfect for my lunch! I am also a huge hatch chile fan, so this recipe is totally my jam.

  6. I’m always looking for new ways to use lamb, and this stew sounds like an amazing one! I can rarely find Hatch chiles in my neck of the woods, but a friend sent me some hatch chile powder, so I’m going to have to give that a go.

    1. That could work. You can also order frozen hatch chiles (already roasted!) at The Hatch Chile Store online.

  7. Oh that looks good. Hatch chile, for the win. And those rice packs looks beyooooond convenient!