Memaw's Chicken & Dumplings

Time :1 30

Yield :6 servings

Recipe Background

Good gracious, Memaw's Chicken & Dumplings are a Southern treasure! Where else can you find such a warm, savory combination of tender veggies, juicy chicken, and fluffy, delicious dumplings?! Only here! And not to mention these dumplings are made from scratch from start to finish, ensuring you have a fulfilling, comforting flavor experience with every bite. Memaw's Chicken & Dumplings taste like home, and we just love them for that!

Ingredients

1 (32-ounce) container chicken stock
2 teaspoons butter room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs and breasts skin-on and bone-in, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry
3/4 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
1 large onion roughly chopped
2 ribs celery cut into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry or dry vermouth
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup fresh herbs such as chives and/or tarragon, minced
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup frozen peas thawed
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves minced
1 tablespoon heavy cream
black pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium pot, add the chicken stock and bring it to a gentle simmer.
In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, melt 2 teaspoons of the butter.
Evenly sprinkle the chicken pieces with the extra salt.
Working in batches, add the seasoned chicken pieces, skin-side down, to the melted butter and cook, flipping occasionally, until each side is browned.
Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and let them cool slightly. Turn off the stovetop heat.
Remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces.
Place the chicken pieces in the simmering chicken stock and poach until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the chicken pieces to a clean plate and let them rest until they are cool enough to touch.
Pull the cooled chicken meat off the bone, then cut it into 2-inch-thick chunks. Place in a bowl and set it aside.
In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the onions, the celery pieces, the carrots, and the thyme and sauté until they are soft but not browned, about 4-5 minutes.
Add the flour to the veggie mixture and stir well to combine. Note: The flour will absorb the fat in the pot and will stick a little to the bottom.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the veggie mixture, stirring constantly, about 2-3 minutes. Watch it carefully so it does not burn.
Add the sherry to the veggie mixture and stir to combine. It will sputter and seize up.
Add 1 ladle of the hot chicken stock to the veggie mixture and stir well to combine. It will be thick and sticky.
Add a second ladle of the hot chicken stock to the veggie mixture, while stirring constantly. Repeat this step once and stir until the soup mixture comes together.
Add the remaining chicken stock and the cooked chicken pieces to the soup mixture and increase the heat to a simmer.
Reduce the heat and gently simmer the soup mixture while making the dumplings.
In a medium bowl, add the cake flour, the baking powder, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and whisk to combine.
Add the fresh herbs, the remaining melted butter, and the milk to the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon to gently mix until it just comes together. Do not overmix or the dumplings will be too dense.
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of the batter into the simmering soup mixture and simmer, covered, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the dumplings comes out clean and they have doubled in size, about 15 minutes. Note: Do not uncover the pot while the dumplings are cooking. If they are not cooked through after 15 minutes, cover the pot again and cook, about 5-10 minutes.
Gently stir the peas, the parsley, and the heavy cream into the chicken and the dumplings mixture.
Taste the chicken and dumplings mixture and season with the extra salt and the pepper, as needed. Stir to combine.
Serve.