The quest to find the perfect chicken and dumplings has been on my recipe search list for decades. In my childhood home, my dad’s tableside tirades generally were of a political nature. But on the rare occasion that my mother prepared chicken and dumplings, her savory tufts of dumpling dough took a starring role in his colorful diatribes.
Mom liked dumplings that were light, Dad preferred them dense. And in their 65 years together, the dumpling wars remained unresolved. I fell in love with this tasty rendition from “Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2023.” I think it is close to perfect.
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided use, plus more for garnish
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots (about 6 ounces), peeled, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
2 large celery stalks (about 5 ounces), chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups water
1 tablespoon jarred chicken stock base, such as Better Than Bouillon
1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen string, plus fresh thyme leaves for garnish
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Sprinkle chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat, undisturbed until skin if browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving drippings in the Dutch oven.
2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until just softened, about 6 minutes. Add all-purpose flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 6 cups of water, stock base, and thyme sprigs. Return chicken to the Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently boil, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and a thermometer inserted in thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the Dutch oven (keep Dutch oven over medium-low heat). Place chicken on a cutting board and let it rest for 5 or 6 minutes — until cool enough to handle. Shred meat (I found a little sharp knife and a fork helpful), discarding skin and bones. Remove thyme from Dutch oven. Return shredded chicken to Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together self-rising flour, buttermilk, and melted butter; stir until batter is just combined. Bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into boiling soup. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, undisturbed, until dumplings are cooked through, about 18 minutes. Garnish with additional pepper, a few thyme leaves, and chopped parsley.
Source: Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2023 from Food and Wine Books
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.
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