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Chicken and Herb Dumplings

Chicken and Herb Dumplings

Tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and fluffy drop dumplings simmer together in a savory herb broth. This comforting one-pot dinner has a creamy, stew-like base and dumplings that steam until light and fully cooked.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 45 min · Total: 70 min · Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup yellow onion (diced)
  • 0.75 cup whole milk (for stew)
  • 1 each bay leaf
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt (divided)
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, divided)
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk (cold)
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (for dumplings)
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup carrots (peeled and diced)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 0.25 tsp baking soda
  • 0.75 tsp black pepper (freshly ground, divided)
  • 1 cup celery (diced)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels on a cutting board, season them with 0.75 tsp kosher salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper, and keep the raw chicken separate from the vegetables; wash your hands, knife, board, and any surfaces that touched raw poultry before continuing.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute, then add the chicken in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3 minutes until browned on the first side.
  3. Stir the chicken with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes more, until the pieces are browned on several sides but not necessarily cooked through, then transfer the chicken to a clean plate with tongs.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the same Dutch oven, and melt it for about 30 seconds until foamy.
  5. Add the diced yellow onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften.
  6. Add the minced garlic and cook over medium heat for 30-45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
  7. Sprinkle 0.25 cup all-purpose flour for thickening over the vegetables and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains on the bottom of the pot.
  8. Slowly whisk in 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, then whisk in 0.75 cup whole milk until the liquid is smooth and lightly thickened, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
  9. Return the browned chicken and any juices from the plate to the Dutch oven, then add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, and the remaining 0.75 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper; bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, about 4-5 minutes.
  10. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer the chicken stew for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetables are nearly tender and the broth is lightly thickened.
  11. While the stew simmers, whisk 1.5 cups all-purpose flour for dumplings, 2 tsp baking powder, and 0.25 tsp baking soda in a medium bowl, then cut in the remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips for 2 minutes until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  12. Stir 0.75 cup cold buttermilk, 1 large lightly beaten egg, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley into the dumpling flour mixture with a fork just until a soft, sticky dough forms, about 30 seconds; do not overmix or the dumplings will be tough.
  13. Remove and discard the bay leaf, stir 1 cup frozen peas into the simmering stew, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer with small bubbles around the edges.
  14. Using two soup spoons, drop the dumpling dough in 12 equal mounds over the surface of the stew, leaving a little space between each mound so steam can circulate.
  15. Cover the Dutch oven tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes, until the dumplings are puffed and set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a dumpling reads at least 200°F (93°C).
  16. Check the chicken by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest piece in the stew; it must read 165°F (74°C), and the chicken should be opaque throughout with clear juices before serving.
  17. Turn off the heat and let the covered pot rest for 5 minutes so the dumplings finish steaming and the stew settles, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley.
  18. Ladle the chicken stew and dumplings into warm shallow bowls with a large spoon, making sure each serving gets about 2 dumplings and plenty of vegetables and creamy broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 518
  • Protein: 34 g
  • Fat: 23 g
  • Carbohydrates: 45 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 962 mg

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