Chicken & Dumplings* Recipe

Cook bacon

Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add bacon slices and cook until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Remove bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot and discard excess fat (or keep up to 1 tablespoon). Crumble cooked bacon and set aside for garnish/mixing.

Sear chicken

Season chicken thighs lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon butter to the reserved bacon fat. When butter foams, add chicken and sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden (chicken will finish cooking in the broth). Remove chicken to a plate.

Sauté vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaf and cook 30 seconds until aromatic.

Deglaze and make broth

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over vegetables and stir to coat, cooking 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Gradually pour in 6 cups chicken stock and 1 cup water while stirring to avoid lumps, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Poach chicken

Return seared chicken thighs to the pot. Reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer, cover partially, and simmer 12–15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Keep broth at a bare simmer for dumpling cooking.

Shred chicken and finish broth

Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks or chop. Stir shredded chicken back into the simmering broth. Taste and add remaining salt and pepper (about 3/4 tsp salt total and 3/4 tsp pepper total used across steps) as needed. Add frozen peas now if using; they will heat through while dumplings cook.

Make dumpling dough

In a medium bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in 4 tablespoons cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Stir in chopped parsley and chives. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 cup milk and 1 egg. Pour wet ingredients into dry and gently stir with a fork until just combined; the dough should be slightly sticky and hold together but not overworked. If too dry, add up to 1–2 tablespoons milk; if too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.

Portion dumplings

Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per dumpling) to portion dough. You should get about 18–20 dumplings. Keep them on a lightly floured tray while you return to the simmering broth.

Cook dumplings in broth

With the broth at a bare simmer (not a rolling boil), drop dumplings into the pot spaced so they don't touch if possible. Cover the pot tightly and simmer for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. After 12 minutes, remove lid and cook uncovered 3–4 more minutes to firm the tops and slightly thicken the broth if needed.

Adjust seasoning and serve

Stir crumbled bacon into the soup (reserve a little for garnish if desired). Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice if using to brighten flavors and then taste for final seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Spoon chicken and dumplings into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and reserved bacon. Serve hot.

Make-ahead and storage: Store leftover soup (without dumplings or with dumplings) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; dumplings will soften over time. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat to avoid breaking dumplings.