Chicken and Dumplings (CATKTV)

Stew

• 5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 12 thighs)
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 celery ribs, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Dumplings

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat

Mise en place for a dish I've literally cooked 4 or 5 times by now in a little over a year though for the first time this season.  I'm a sucker for anything with a pot pie base.  Back when I first started cooking in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, I cooked an actual pot pie out of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.  I don't think I remember that wowing me.

This does it without the hassle of a crust.  I'm pretty sure the base in the pie got somewhat watered down.  I'd make this all the time if I thought it wouldn't kill or bore the hell out of me.

Browning the chicken.  You're supposed to split the oil between batches of chicken thighs.

But why add fat when all this eventually render out?  Silly recipe.

Way more than enough to make the dumplings.

Cook vegetables until softened.

Stir in flour to thicken the sauce.

Add back the chicken and everything but the peas and the parsley (which I didn't have).  Simmer for 1 hour.

I usually risk burning my fingertips shredding the chicken thighs because I'm too impatient to wait and wait for things to cool.
I was running out of time and saved that for the next day instead.  Looks delish, no? 

Whip up the dumpling batter, throw spoonfuls of it onto the simmering base, cover, and cook until they have doubled in size.

 

Perfect as usual.