Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter or Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 large Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Parsley
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 8 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 1 tsp Salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper (plus more to taste)
  • ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour (for thickener)
  • ½ cup Cold Water (for slurry)
  • Fresh Parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (for dumplings)
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Salt (for dumplings)
  • ½ cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
  • ¾ cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Pat chicken dry. In a large Dutch oven, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces vigorously on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté until softened (about 8 minutes). Add garlic, thyme, and parsley; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Whisk in the ¼ cup flour until fully incorporated (roux). Slowly pour in the 8 cups of chicken stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the bay leaf, initial salt, and pepper.
  4. Return the browned chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
  5. Carefully remove all chicken pieces from the broth and set aside to cool slightly. Discard skin and bones, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the broth.
  6. Prepare the dumpling dough: Whisk the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Pour in the milk/buttermilk all at once and gently mix with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Bring the broth back up to a very gentle, rolling simmer. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  8. Using two spoons, drop rounded tablespoons of the dough mixture directly onto the surface of the simmering liquid, leaving a small space between each one.
  9. Once all dough is added, cover the pot tightly with the lid. Do not lift the lid for 15 minutes to allow the dumplings to steam properly.
  10. After 15 minutes, check one dumpling for doneness. Garnish generously with fresh parsley and serve immediately.