Chicken and dumplings is the perfect comfort dish! Begin with a substantial chicken and vegetable stew, then add simple handmade dumplings that cook up light and fluffy.
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Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings are the ideal comfort meal, right? When we were youngsters, my mother would prepare chicken and dumplings for us by combining Bisquick biscuit dough with chicken broth.
We were continually fighting over these dumplings. (Have you ever wondered why individuals with large families eat quickly? The first youngster to complete gets seconds on the dumplings.
Tips for the Best Chicken and Dumplings
It is not easy to make dumplings that are both flavorful and light while remaining cohesive. The Bisquick dumpling variant, while light and fluffy, tends to come apart.
On the opposite end of the scale, my father recalls his mother’s dumplings, which were “as hard as hockey pucks.” Leftovers would be grated the next morning and cooked like potatoes.
The dumplings in this recipe are solid enough to stick together without dissolving even after numerous reheats of the stew, yet they remain light and fluffy. The following are some suggestions for making the greatest chicken and dumplings.
- Do not peek! The secret is to avoid peeking into the pan while the dumplings are cooking. The dumplings must gradually steam in the boiling stew to achieve a light texture.
- Use cake flour: Using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour will make the dumplings lighter since cake flour has less gluten.
- Brown the chicken. To add flavor to the stew foundation, we brown the chicken pieces before boiling them in the stew.
- Make a roux. Browning the flour in a roux with rendered chicken fat will enhance the base’s taste while thickening the stew.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Chicken and dumplings is really a dish unto itself. If you want something extra on the side, use a basic green vegetable, such as steamed broccoli, sautéed greens, or roasted Brussels sprouts. A simple salad would also be excellent.
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Recipe Card
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
For the chicken and vegetables
- 1 quart chicken stock homemade or store-bought
- 3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and breasts skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 teaspoons butter or extra virgin olive oil or a combination of both
- Salt
- 1 large onion roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 to 3 ribs celery trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dry sherry or vermouth optional
- 3/4 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
- Ground black or white pepper
For the dumplings
- 2 cups 250g cake flour (see recipe note)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley chives, and tarragon, optional
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- To heat the chicken stock, add it to a medium saucepan and bring to a slow simmer.
- Heat the butter, season the chicken with salt, and brown:
- In a large (8-quart or bigger) thick-bottomed saucepan, heat the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat dry the chicken and season with salt.
- Brown the chicken pieces in stages, starting with the skin side down; this will render out the fat that will be used to make the stew later.
- When the chicken has browned on both sides, take it from the big saucepan and turn off the heat. Remove and discard the chicken skin, then place the chicken in the saucepan of boiling stock.
- Poach the chicken in the stock for about 20 minutes, or until it is well cooked.
- Remove the chicken pieces and place on a tray to cool for a few minutes. When the chicken parts are cool enough to touch, remove the flesh off the bones and chop into 2-inch slices. Set aside.
- Return the heat to medium-high in the big pot. When the pot is heated, add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook until tender but not browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and whisk thoroughly. The flour will absorb some of the oil in the saucepan and cling to the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continuously whisk the flour vegetable mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t let it burn.
- Get a ladle ready, and keep the saucepan of boiling chicken stock close. Add the sherry to the flour-vegetable combination. It will splutter and lock up.
- Add a ladle of boiling chicken stock and stir well. It’ll be goopy. Add another ladle, followed by another, stirring constantly until the soup comes together.
- Add the remaining chicken stock and leftover chicken meat. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce to a soft simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
- In a larger basin, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add the melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients.
- Gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture barely comes together. (Note: Do not overmix or your dumplings will be too thick.)
- In a larger basin, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add the melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients.
- Gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture barely comes together. (Note: Do not overmix or your dumplings will be too thick.)
- Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dumpling batter into the bubbling stew, covering the whole top. (Remember that the dumplings will easily double in size while they cook.) Cover and boil for about 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are well cooked.
- Once you’ve covered the pan, don’t peek while the dumplings cook! To be light and fluffy, the dumplings must be steamed rather than boiling. The steam is released when you uncover the pan.
- If the dumplings are not fully cooked after 15 minutes (test with a toothpick or skewer), cover the pan again and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Gently mix in the peas, parsley, and cream, if using. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle meat, sauce, veggies, and dumplings onto soup bowls. Take note that the stew will thicken as it sets.
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