Chicken and Dumplings

November 23, 2013

Chicken and Broth

• 1 large chicken or 8 boneless skinless thighs
• 2 coarsely chopped onions
• 1 lb button mushrooms or quartered Criminis
• 6 coarsely chopped carrots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup milk

Put the chicken, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves in a large Dutch oven. Cover with the water. Add the salt, black pepper, tarragon, and thyme and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the chicken is very tender. Remove from heat.

Remove the chicken form the pot, discard the bones and skin. Reserve one cup of the vegetables for the dumplings. Skim the fat off the broth. Return the chicken meat to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Make a roux with the butter, flour, milk – cook thoroughly then add to the stew – bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium.

Baking Powder Dumplings

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup reserved vegetables

Sift flour and baking powder several times. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Beat together the egg and milk in a mixing bowl. Add to flour to make a thick batter. Fold the reserved vegetables into the batter.

Remove the bay leaves.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter into the boiling broth, distributing the dumplings evenly until all is used. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve immediately in shallow bowls. Serves eight.