Chicken and Dumplings is a favorite comfort food this time of year. I try to make it at least twice every winter, which is a lot for me because I do love to try new things and have a lot of variety. It is very similar to Chicken Pot Pie, but I happen to prefer the dumplings. My pie loving husband prefers the pot pie and I also try to make that a couple of times each year.
This recipe is reminiscent of something my Grandparents made when I was a little girl. True, the chicken must have been grouse (a bird our family hunted in Washington) because we didn’t buy store meats often. I am certain the dumplings were made with lard. My version is certainly lighter, but still offers that warmth and comfort on a cold hard winter evening.
Some of the benefits of this recipe are that it includes a good quantity of vegetables, contains no condensed soups that seem to be so common in creamy recipes and are extremely high in sodium. A bonus is that with a little creative thinking it can be made in a crock pot.
Other Notes: I am not a recipe follower and I can assure you that this recipe is forgiving. I often use leftover chicken broth and chopped leftover chicken instead of the breasts. I love to make heart shaped biscuits in February instead of the dumplings because it delights my children who otherwise do not find this dish very delightful. I also like to double the celery and carrot quantities.
Ingredients
o 1¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1inch pieces
o ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
o 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
o 2 large carrots, chopped
o 2 stalks celery, chopped
o 1 large onion, diced
o 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
o ½ teaspoon salt
o ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
o 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
o 1 cup water
o 1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
o 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
o ½ cup all-purpose flour
o 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
o ½ teaspoon baking soda
o ¼ teaspoon salt
o ¾ cup nonfat buttermilk or milk
Directions
- 1 Toss chicken with ⅔ cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- 2 Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in broth, water, peas and the reserved chicken. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.
- 3 To prepare dumplings: Meanwhile, stir whole-wheat flour, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk.
- 4 Drop the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the simmering chicken stew, making about 18 dumplings. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the dumplings are puffed, the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
