Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or 2 lbs boneless/skinless)
  • 8 cups good quality Chicken Stock or homemade broth
  • 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (or Whole Milk)
  • 1/4 cup fresh Parsley, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper (to taste)
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (for dumplings)
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 4 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes (for dumplings)
  • 3/4 cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk (for dumplings)

Instructions:

  1. If using skin-on chicken, season and brown it in the Dutch Oven until golden. Remove and set aside. If using boneless cuts, skip this step.
  2. Melt the 3 Tbsp of butter in the pot. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened (about 8 minutes). Add garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of flour over the vegetables, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, creating a roux.
  4. Gradually whisk in the cold stock, ensuring no lumps form. Add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Return the cooked chicken to the pot.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is fork-tender (45–60 minutes).
  6. Remove the chicken. Shred the meat, discarding bones and skin. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and adjust seasoning (salt/pepper). Keep the stew at a bare, gentle simmer.
  7. Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Cut in the 4 Tbsp of cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  8. Stir in the 3/4 cup milk quickly until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
  9. Drop spoonfuls (about 1.5 Tbsp each) of dough directly onto the simmering stew surface, leaving small spaces between them.
  10. Cover the pot tightly, reduce heat to very low, and steam for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
  11. After 15 minutes, check one dumpling for doneness. Stir in fresh parsley and serve the Chicken and Dumplings immediately.