Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and washed thoroughly
- 150 g carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1000 ml low-sodium chicken broth
- 100 g green peas, fresh or thawed frozen
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Artichoke Dumplings
- 100 g canned artichoke hearts, well-drained, patted dry, and finely chopped
- 100 g whole milk ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 2 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Drain and finely chop the artichoke hearts. Press them firmly between paper towels to remove as much residual moisture as possible.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped artichokes, ricotta cheese, beaten egg, grated parmesan, salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix gently just until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks and carrots, sauteing until they begin to soften and release their sweet aromas, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the broth. Poach gently until the chicken turns opaque and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74C or 165F, about 8 minutes. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw poultry.
Using a spoon, drop walnut-sized portions of the artichoke dumpling batter directly onto the surface of the gently simmering broth. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and let the dumplings steam undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and gently stir in the fresh peas and chopped dill. Let the stew sit off the heat for 2 minutes to warm the peas through without overcooking them, then serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Moisture is the enemy of light, fluffy dumplings. Take the extra minute to wring out your chopped artichoke hearts in a clean kitchen towel or sturdy paper towels.
- If your ricotta is especially watery, let it sit in a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter for twenty minutes before building your dumpling batter.
- Always taste your broth for seasoning right before dropping in the dumplings. Once the dumplings are added, vigorous stirring is impossible without breaking them apart.
- To ensure food safety and prevent cross-contamination, assign a dedicated cutting board solely for raw poultry prep, and wash hands immediately after handling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store dumplings and stew in separate containers to prevent the dumplings from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the stew base only. The ricotta dumplings will degrade in texture if frozen and thawed.
Reheating: Reheat stew gently on the stovetop over low heat until simmering, then add dumplings to warm through for 3 to 4 minutes.
