Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Prepare and simmer chicken

Place the chicken thighs in a large stockpot. Add water and chicken stock to cover and create a flavorful base (about 2.5 L total).

Roughly chop the onion, carrots, and celery into large chunks and add them to the pot with the smashed garlic, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and half of the parsley (reserve the other half for finishing).

Bring to a gentle boil over high heat. Skim any foam that rises to the surface with a spoon. Once boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Continue simmering the broth 5–10 minutes to concentrate flavor if desired.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or clean pot, discarding solids. Reserve 1.5 L of strained broth for the soup base; refrigerate or skim fat if needed. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones; reserve some skin-free pieces for shredding.

Season the reserved broth with kosher salt (2 tbs) and black pepper (1 tsp) to taste, keeping in mind the dumplings will dilute it slightly.

Prepare base and thicken

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 2 cups of diced carrots and 2 cups of diced celery (reserve any extra carrot) and cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Add 1 cup diced onion and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes.

Stir in 4 tbs all-purpose flour to coat the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, forming a light roux. Slowly whisk in the reserved 1.5 L strained broth and 500 ml chicken stock until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5–8 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the remaining diced carrot, 1 cup frozen peas (if using), and half of the chopped parsley. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer while you make dumpling batter.

Make dumpling batter

In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbs baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar. Whisk to blend. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 cup cold whole milk and 1 egg. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined — batter should be thick but spoonable. Fold in 2 tbs finely chopped chives.

Using a two-tablespoon scoop (or spoon), drop rounded dumpling portions onto the simmering stew surface, spacing them so they do not touch. Work in batches if necessary. Cover the pot tightly and simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time (steam is needed to cook dumplings through).

After 12–15 minutes, remove the lid and check a dumpling by inserting a toothpick or skewer — it should come out clean and the dumpling should be springy. If undercooked, re-cover and cook an additional 2–3 minutes.

Gently stir the dumplings into the stew just before serving to distribute them without breaking them up completely. Finish with the remaining chopped parsley and an extra grind of black pepper.