Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, trimmed
  • 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (for sautéing)
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks Celery Stalks, diced
  • 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (for roux)
  • 6 cups Chicken Stock (low sodium)
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream, optional)
  • Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To taste
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (for dumplings)
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 4 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed (for dumplings)
  • 3/4 cup Whole Milk or Buttermilk
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Chives, snipped

Instructions:

  1. Brown the Chicken: Season the chicken thighs lightly. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches until lightly browned on all sides (3 minutes per side). Remove chicken and set aside.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Lower heat to medium. Add butter and any remaining oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes until vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Season lightly.
  3. Build the Roux: Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
  4. Deglaze and Simmer: Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot. Add the dried thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Cook the Chicken: Return the browned chicken thighs to the simmering liquid. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender.
  6. Remove and Shred: Carefully remove the chicken pieces using tongs and place them on a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves.
  7. Thicken and Season: Bring the remaining broth back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the heavy cream (if using). Taste the broth and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) as needed.
  8. Return Chicken: Shred the chicken coarsely using two forks and return it to the stew. Keep the stew on a very low simmer while preparing the dumplings.
  9. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt.
  10. Cut in the Fat: Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a fork or pastry blender to quickly cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  11. Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the milk (or buttermilk) and add the fresh parsley and chives. Stir with a fork just until combined into a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. Stop stirring the moment the flour disappears.
  12. Drop and Steam: Increase the stew heat to a vigorous simmer. Using two large spoons, drop golf-ball sized dollops of dough directly onto the surface of the simmering stew, ensuring they sit mostly above the liquid. Space them out slightly.
  13. Cover and Finish: Immediately clamp the lid on the pot, ensuring it is sealed tight. Reduce the heat back to low and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Crucially, do not lift the lid during this time.
  14. Serve: After 15 minutes, remove the lid. The dumplings should be doubled in size and light and fluffy. Serve immediately, ensuring each bowl gets a good helping of stew and dumplings.