KitchenMagician's Recipe

CHICKEN STEW - DUMPLINGS - HERBED

Category: Chicken Casseroles

Makes 6 servings.

5 c. chicken broth
2 lb. chicken breast fillets
5 T. butter
4 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 T. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. dry sherry
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
4 T. minced fresh parsley

Dumplings

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. chopped parsley
1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Bring broth to simmer in Dutch oven over high heat.
Add chicken and return to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through. Transfer chicken to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer broth to large bowl.
Return empty Dutch oven to medium-high heat and melt butter.
Add carrots, onion, and salt and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Stir in sherry, scraping up browned bits. Stir in reserved broth, cream, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until stew thickens, about 20 minutes.
Prepare dumplings. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss in sage, thyme and parsley.
Stir in cream until incorporated (dough will be very thick and shaggy).
To finish, discard bay leaves and return stew to rapid simmer. Shred reserved chicken and add to stew along with any accumulated juices, peas, and 3 tablespoons parsley.
Using two large soup spoons or small ice cream scoop, drop golf ball-sized dumplings onto stew about l/4 inch apart.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley.