Must Try Chicken and Dumplings

September 9, 2011

Chicken and dumplings is one of my favorite dishes that my mother makes. The light and pillowy dumplings are the perfect partner to homemade chicken soup. This recipe starts with the stock from scratch. I prefer homemade stock because it's richer and has a better flavor. Of course if you are in a pinch, boxed stock will do just fine (try to get low-sodium). This comforting dish can be served at any time of the year.

Chicken and Buttermilk Herb Dumplings

Ingredients:

Chicken and Stock:

1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken

2 bay leaves

6 sprigs thyme

5 black peppercorns

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons salt

Buttermilk Herb Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup chives, chopped

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons oil

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken stock

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen pearl onions

1/4 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

Chopped chives and parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and foam as it cooks.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain and reserve the stock and shred the meat into pieces.

Make the dumplings: In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.

In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives, parsley and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together.

To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer.

Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Using 2 spoons carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be too crowded.

Let the dumplings poach for about 10 minutes until they are firm and puffy Turn the dumplings over and let poach another 5 minutes.

Season with freshly cracked black pepper.

Garnish with chopped chives and parsley before serving.

Image Sources:

Mike Willis

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Comments

Permalink Jody Warnke
September 9, 2011

Poach dumplings with pan covered or uncovered?

Permalink Leah Rodrigues
September 10, 2011

Poach the dumplings with the pan convered

Permalink karen
November 6, 2011

that looks really good. I would like to try it. Here on the eastern shore of MD we use slippery dumplings instead of the puffy kind...thanks for the recipe!