Chicken Stew and Dumplings

Servings: 8

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

This is just your basic comfort food suitable for a chilly Sunday afternoon dinner. But you could always crank up the air-conditioner if you’re in the mood some July afternoon. Be sure to skim off the foam that rises to the surface when the chicken first simmers before adding the herbs and spices or you’ll be skimming those off as well.

• One three to four pound chicken cut up
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup c hopped onion
• 3 tablespoons diced celery
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 3-4 four cups of water
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, c hopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, o r ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 potatoes, peeled and d iced
• 10 carrots cut into bite-sized pieces
• Two tablespoons flour
• ¼ cup water

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons shortening
• 1 cup milk

1. Cut the breasts in half; separate the thighs and legs and cut the back in half. Take off as much skin as possible
2. Heat the olive oil in the stew pot or Dutch oven until smoking. Brown the chicken pieces a few at a time for about three minutes on a side. Don’t crowd or they will steam rather than brown. Set aside.
3. Sauté the onions and celery in the oil until softened. Add a cup of water and deglaze the pot.
4. Put the chicken back in the stew pot; add the chicken stock, enough water to barely cover the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Skim off the foam and scum that bubbles to the surface.
5. Add the parsley, thyme, salt and pepper and continue to simmer for about an hour or until the chicken is falling off of the bone.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot and strain the liquid to remove the onions, celery and spices. Wash the pot and return the broth to it.
7. Remove the chicken from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces.
8. Skim off any fat that has risen to the surface of the broth and return the chicken to the pot. You can refrigerate the broth at this point and hold for several hours or overnight.
9. Add the diced potatoes and carrots and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
10. While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, make the dough for the dumplings. Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and bring the milk and the shortening to a simmer. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the mixture is blended.
11. About 10 minutes before the potatoes are fully cooked, spoon the dough onto the top of the simmering stew into eight dumplings. Cover the stew and simmer for 10 minutes more.
12. Lift off the dumplings and place on a warmed platter.
13. Serve the stew topping each serving with a dumpling.