Chicken and dumplings is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy dumplings in a creamy broth. Here’s a classic recipe:
Ingredients:
For the Chicken Stew:
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast)
- 1 cup heavy cream or milk
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Dumplings:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cold butter, cubed
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions:
- Prepare the Chicken Stew:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, carrots, and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to make a roux, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring to avoid lumps.
- Stir in the cooked chicken, heavy cream, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened slightly.
- Prepare the Dumplings:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the milk until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Cook the Dumplings:
- Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling batter onto the simmering stew. Be sure to space them slightly apart as they will expand.
- Cover the pot and let the dumplings cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking.
- Serve:
- Once the dumplings are cooked through and the stew is bubbly, serve the chicken and dumplings hot.
Enjoy your homemade chicken and dumplings!