Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
- 910 g chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 100 g yellow onion, diced
- 160 g celery, chopped
- 450 g carrot, peeled and sliced 6mm (1/4-inch) thick
- 4 thyme, fresh sprigs
- 1893 ml water
- 150 g leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 14 g unsalted butter
Dumplings
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 7 g baking powder
- 4 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
- 180 ml buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 27 g unsalted butter, melted
- 15 g parsley, finely chopped
- 7 g chives, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Season the chicken thighs on all sides with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 8-10 minutes until golden, then flip and sear for 5-8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Reserve 75ml (5 tbsp) of rendered chicken fat from the pot; discard any excess. Return 30ml (2 tbsp) of the fat to the pot.
Add onion, celery, and half of the carrots to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until softened.
Add the seared chicken, thyme sprigs, and 1893ml (8 cups) of water to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve 1183ml (5 cups) of stock, supplementing with water if necessary. Wipe the Dutch oven clean.
Remove skin and bones from the cooled chicken. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
In the clean Dutch oven, heat the remaining 45ml (3 tbsp) of chicken fat (or butter) over medium heat. Whisk in 30g of flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to form a pale roux.
Slowly whisk the reserved 1183ml of stock into the roux until smooth. Bring to a boil.
Add sliced leeks and the remaining carrots. Simmer until vegetables are tender and the liquid thickens, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 180g flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg until combined.
Fold the wet ingredients and 27g of melted butter into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough onto the simmering stew. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 18-22 minutes without opening the lid.
Garnish with chopped parsley and chives and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For richer flavor, consider using chicken stock instead of water for the broth, or a combination of both.
- Don't overmix the dumpling dough; a slightly lumpy texture is desirable for tender, fluffy dumplings.
- Ensure the stew is at a gentle simmer before adding the dumplings and resist the urge to lift the lid while they steam. This is crucial for them to cook through properly.
- The roux is key to thickening the broth. Cook it gently until pale golden to avoid a raw flour taste.
- For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a bay leaf or a sprig of rosemary to the broth while it simmers.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Dumplings may soften significantly when stored in liquid.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze stew and dumplings separately for best texture.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat to avoid breaking dumplings.
