What happens if I skip the browning step in a chicken stew recipe?

There is a recipe that I love to cook for Moroccan Chicken; basically a single-pot dish of chicken cooked in chicken stock with dried fruit, onions, and spices, over a low flame until you want to take it off (http://www.food.com/recipe...). It has a first step of browning the chicken before putting it into the stew. I was thinking about skipping this step in the interest of time: because I try to cook on the weekend for the whole week ahead I have to use three large pans to brown all of the chicken parts, and it gets oil everywhere in the kitchen that then takes forever to clean. My question is, what will happen if I don't brown the chicken? Will it come out uncooked? Will it taste horrible? Or will no one really notice?

Thanks!!

Brooklynite
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8 Comments

BerryBaby
BerryBaby January 14, 2017
I don't think anyone would notice. Most of the time I brown it. Other times, when I'm not in a cooking mood but want something good, I just put everything in the Dutch oven and pop it in the oven. Still delicious. BB
 
Amanda H.
Amanda H. January 10, 2017
It should be fine without the browning. You'll lose a bit of the caramelization and depth of flavor that goes along with this from the browning, but in a recipe like this with so many other flavors, it'll be fine. However, another solution is to brown the chicken in the oven. Heat your oven to 450 and brown the pieces in pans in the oven, which will contain the spattering.
 
ktr
ktr January 10, 2017
Answers like this are part of why I read the hotline questions. I am making beef stew later this week and am going to give your oven browning suggestions a try so I'm not trying to watch a toddler and stand at the stove at the same time.
 
Brooklynite
Brooklynite January 17, 2017
Amanda, you are my hero. Answering my urgent questions at 12:04AM ... unfortunately I didn't end up browning that batch at all, but this morning I made not one but two dishes that involved browning in the oven, thanks to your inspiration.

Sorry for the expression of delayed, but no less appreciated, gratitude.
 
Amanda H.
Amanda H. January 17, 2017
Happy to help!
 
Brooklynite
Brooklynite November 25, 2019
Amanda, circling back on this, oh, three years later ... I was reviewing your advice, and realized that you advised browning in the oven in pans, while I've taken the laziness to new level and been putting all the chicken pieces on a big baking sheet covered with aluminum. Is there a meaningful difference in outcome doing it this way?
 
Brooklynite
Brooklynite November 25, 2019
* laziness b/c there is nothing to clean.
 
Amanda H.
Amanda H. November 27, 2019
Hi there! Do you mean: will there be a difference in the browning if you're covering the baking sheet in aluminum foil rather than just browning the meat straight on the baking sheet? If so, I don't think you'll find a huge difference. And if it makes your life easier, then great, right?!
 
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