Chicken And Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is a classic comfort food that never fails to hit the spot. I know that some people will argue over what type of dumplings and the contents of the stew but this is what I like. It's the ultimate comfort food that just feels like a big, warm hug in a bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt, for seasoning
- black pepper, for seasoning
- 300 g white onion, medium diced
- 150 g celery, medium diced, 3-4 stalks
- 150 g carrots, diced, 3-5 medium
- 150 g fennel, chopped, 1 medium bulb
- 20 g garlic, minced/pressed, 4-5 cloves
- 115 g unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 135 g all-purpose flour, sub with cup for cup gluten free flour
- 100 g dry white wine
- 1200 g chicken broth
- 100 g heavy cream
- 3-4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 g poultry seasoning
- 200 g frozen peas
DUMPLINGS:
- 360 g all-purpose flour
- 8 g kosher salt
- 12 g baking powder
- 4 g black pepper
- 75 g unsalted butter, melted
- 340 g whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until fully cooked and fat is rendered.
- While the chicken is roasting, dice onion, celery, carrots, fennel. Press garlic cloves.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt one stick of butter. Add diced vegetables, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sweat the vegetables for 6-8 minutes, stirring often. I'm using a 6 ¾ qt dutch oven in this recipe.
- Stir in the all-purpose flour to create a roux. Cook for 1 minute and deglaze with wine, scraping any fond off the bottom of the pot. Cook for about 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol.
- Add in the chicken broth, heavy cream, thyme, bay leaves, and poultry seasoning. Stir well.
- Chop the roasted chicken thighs into small bite sized pieces and add to the pot over medium heat along with frozen peas. Stir and simmer on low for 5 minutes to reheat chicken and peas, scraping the bottom of the pot as you go.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry dumpling ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, black pepper. While mixing, stream in the melted (but not hot) butter, and milk and continue stirring until just barely combined.
- Taste the chicken gravy mixture for seasoning and adjust with additional salt if needed.
- Back to the dumpling dough, using two teaspoons, quenelle the dumpling dough and drop 12-16 dumplings into the pot.
- Lower the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until the dumplings have expanded and cooked through.
- Test a dumpling for doneness by cutting into it; it should be fluffy and cooked through, not gluey.
- Once the dumplings are cooked, the chicken and dumplings are ready to be enjoyed.
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