Chicken & Dumplings Recipe
This is pure comfort food. The secret is building a deep flavor base from the start by browning the chicken properly and then using that same pot to build the stew. The drop dumplings are rustic and steam directly on top of the simmering gravy.
Ingredients
For the Stew
- 3.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced (~2 cups)
- 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6-7 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup buttermilk
Brown the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down. Let it cook undisturbed for ~5-7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and has rendered a good amount of fat.
Flip the chicken and cook for another ~3-4 minutes on the second side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Do not wipe out the pot.
Build the Stew Base
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook in the rendered chicken fat for ~7-8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
Stir in the fresh thyme sprigs and the bay leaf.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. This step cooks out the raw flour taste and creates the roux that will thicken the stew.
Gradually pour in about 1 cup of the chicken broth, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pot. Once smooth, stir in the remaining 5 cups of broth.
Simmer the Stew
Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for ~30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Remove the chicken and the herb sprigs. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
Cook the Dumplings
While the chicken cools, prepare the dumpling dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and buttermilk. Pour this into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until just combined. The dough will be shaggy; do not overmix.
Bring the stew back to a steady simmer. Drop tablespoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly on top of the simmering stew.
Cover the pot tightly and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The trapped steam is what cooks the dumplings through and makes them fluffy.
Finish and Serve
Remove the pot from the heat. Uncover and stir in the heavy cream and fresh parsley.
Ladle into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of chicken, vegetables, and dumplings.
Chicken & Dumplings
Ingredients
For the Stew
- 3.5 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion ~2 cups, diced
- 3 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6-7 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup buttermilk
Method
- Pat chicken thighs dry, season with salt and pepper.
- Brown chicken in butter 5-7 minutes skin-side down, flip and cook 3-4 minutes more. Remove to plate.
- Cook onion, carrots, celery in rendered fat 7-8 minutes until soft.
- Add thyme, bay leaf, and flour. Cook flour 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Gradually stir in 6 cups chicken broth.
- Return chicken to pot, simmer covered 30 minutes until tender.
- Remove chicken, shred meat discarding bones/skin, return meat to pot.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt. Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Combine egg yolk and buttermilk, stir into flour mixture until just combined.
- Drop dumpling dough by spoonfuls onto simmering stew.
- Cover, cook 15 minutes without lifting lid.
- Stir in cream and parsley.
