Ingredients:

  • lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Tbsp unsalted butter
  • medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • medium celery stalks, diced
  • Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • sprigs fresh thyme
  • Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
  • ½ cup cold whole or semi-skimmed milk, plus 1 Tbsp extra if needed

Instructions:

  1. Season chicken cubes well. Brown the chicken in butter in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat; remove the chicken and set aside.
  2. Lower the heat. Sauté diced onion, carrots, and celery until softened (about 8 minutes).
  3. Sprinkle the 3 Tbsp of flour over the cooked vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a roux.
  4. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth. Add the fresh thyme sprigs and the reserved browned chicken back to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and the chicken to cook through. Check and adjust salt and pepper seasoning.
  6. While the stew simmers, prepare the dumplings: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  7. Stir in the chopped chives. Quickly mix in the cold milk until just combined into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not overmix.
  8. Increase the stew heat slightly to maintain a steady, gentle simmer. Using two dessert spoons, scoop out roughly tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and gently drop them onto the surface of the simmering stew, leaving a little space between them.
  9. Once all dough is placed, immediately cover the pot tightly with the lid. Reduce heat to low and cook for precisely 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid to trap the steam.
  10. Remove the lid. The dumplings should be puffed up and firm. Test one with a skewer if necessary. Stir in the fresh parsley and serve immediately.