Soups, Chilis and Stews

Chicken and Dumplings

Name: Chicken and Dumplings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 3 carrots, sliced; 3 celery stalks, sliced; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 5 cups chicken broth; 1 tsp dried thyme · 1 bay leaf; 2 tsp salt · 1 tsp black pepper; 1 cup heavy cream; 3 tbsp cornstarch · 3 tbsp cold water; 2 cups self-rising flour; 3/4 cup whole milk; 4 tbsp butter, melted; 1 cup frozen peas

The dumplings go on top in the last hour and steam rather than boil. Do not lift the lid while they do it.

Serves6

Prep10 min

Low6 hr

High3 hr

Pot6 qt

What goes in

2 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme · 1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt · 1 tsp black pepper

Stir in at the end

1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp cornstarch · 3 tbsp cold water
2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup whole milk
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup frozen peas

Lid stays shut for the dumplings

Dumplings cook in trapped steam. Every time you lift the lid to look, the steam leaves and they go dense and wet in the middle.

How to make it

Chicken and Dumplings in the slow cooker

Put the chicken, carrots, celery, onion and garlic in the pot with the thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Pour the broth over. Lid on.
Low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
Shred the chicken in the pot. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water, stir it in with the cream and the peas, and turn the pot to high.
Stir the self-rising flour, milk and melted butter together into a thick sticky dough. Do not overmix it.
Drop the dough in heaped tablespoons across the surface. Leave gaps, they swell.
Lid on, 1 hour on high, no peeking. They are done when a knife comes out of one clean.

Swap it

No self-rising flour? Use 2 cups plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Tinned biscuit dough torn into pieces also works.