Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

For the stew

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), 30 g
• 6 cups chicken broth, 1.4 L
• 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 680 g
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup heavy cream (double cream), 120 ml
• ½ cup frozen peas, 70 g

For the dumplings

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour), 250 g
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ¾ tsp fine salt
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, 56 g, cubed
• ¾ cup cold milk or buttermilk, 180 ml
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Make the stew

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth.
3. Add the chicken, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
4. Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cream and peas and keep at a gentle simmer.

Make and cook the dumplings

5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Rub in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and parsley until just combined.
6. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough over the surface of the simmering stew, leaving a little space between them.
7. Cover tightly and simmer gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
8. Serve in bowls, with the dumplings on top.