Chicken and Dumplings
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
Bone-in chicken is browned and simmered into a creamy vegetable stew, then topped with soft dumplings that steam on top until fluffy.
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Method
- 1
Brown the chicken. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in the casserole over medium-high heat and brown the chicken skin-side down for 6-8 minutes until golden, then lift it out - this step builds flavour and renders some fat into the pot.
- 2
Soften the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining butter, and cook the onion, carrot and celery for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
- 3
Build the stew. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the stock. Add the thyme and bay leaves, return the chicken to the pot, and simmer gently, partly covered, for 30-35 minutes until the thighs reach 80°C and are tender.
- 4
Shred the chicken. Lift the chicken out, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat into large pieces.
- 5
Finish the stew. Stir the cream and peas into the stew, then return the shredded chicken and bring back to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 6
Mix the dumplings. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and parsley, then stir in the milk and melted butter just until a soft, sticky dough forms - overmixing at this stage will make the dumplings tough rather than light.
- 7
Steam the dumplings. Drop 12 heaped spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the simmering stew, spaced apart. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid, since trapped steam is what cooks the tops, until the dumplings are doubled in size, firm, and a skewer comes out clean.
- 8
Rest and serve. Let the pot rest for 5 minutes before serving so the stew settles slightly.
Storage
Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days; dumplings soften on standing but still taste good. Reheat gently on the hob until piping hot throughout (74°C); freezing isn't recommended as the dumplings turn gluey. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy casserole (28 cm, 5-6 litres) with a tight lid
- mixing bowl
- 2 forks
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 908 kcal |
| Protein | 39.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 71.2 g |
| of which sugars | 8.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 51.2 g |
| of which saturates | 22.1 g |
| Fibre | 5.4 g |
| Salt | 2.78 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
