Chicken & Dumplings
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 ~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.
Notes
Do not overmix dumpling dough. Keep lid tight during dumpling cooking for proper steaming.