Description
Heartwarming chicken and dumplings bring Southern comfort to kitchen tables with classic flavors. Creamy broth, tender chicken, and pillowy dumplings create a satisfying meal you’ll savor with pure culinary joy.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ to ¾ lb boneless chicken fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 3 tbsps fresh parsley, chopped for stew
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for dumplings
- ½ tbsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dry thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 tbsps butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour for dumplings
- 2 tsps baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup half and half
- ½ cup half and half for dumplings
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sear chicken pieces seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder in heated olive oil within a large soup pot until deeply caramelized and golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Vegetable Foundation: Utilize the same pot to sauté carrots, celery, and onions with thyme, allowing vegetables to soften and release their intrinsic sweetness, creating a robust aromatic base.
- Liquid Creation: Melt butter and transform the vegetable mixture into a smooth roux by incorporating flour. Gradually pour chicken stock and half and half, stirring continuously to develop a creamy, luxurious consistency. Reintroduce browned chicken, add bay leaf, and simmer gently.
- Flavor Enhancement: Incorporate frozen peas and fresh parsley, allowing ingredients to harmonize and infuse the liquid with vibrant, complementary tastes.
- Dumpling Construction: Blend flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley in a separate bowl. Incrementally mix in half and half to form a light, pillowy batter with a tender texture.
- Final Assembly: Delicately drop dumpling portions into the simmering pot, ensuring even spacing. Cover and steam until dumplings expand and become perfectly cooked, absorbing the rich, multilayered flavors of the surrounding liquid.
Notes
- Meat Preparation Tip: Thoroughly pat chicken dry before seasoning to ensure optimal browning and prevent steaming instead of caramelizing.
- Roux Mastery: Stir constantly while creating roux to prevent burning and achieve a golden, nutty flavor without scorching.
- Dumpling Texture Secret: Avoid overmixing dumpling batter to keep dumplings light and tender, preventing a dense, tough consistency.
- Simmering Technique: Maintain a gentle simmer when cooking dumplings; aggressive boiling can cause them to break apart or become rubbery.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg