Chicken and Drop Dumplings

Based on a recipe from "Cuisine at Home" magazine, October 2007.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Stew

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 2  cups onions, diced
• 1  cup celery, diced
• 2  teaspoons fresh thyme, minced, packed
• 1  teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced, packed
• 1  teaspoon fresh sage, minced, packed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 8  cups chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 3  cups  cooked chicken, shredded
• 1⁄2 cup  frozen peas
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 3  ounces  baby carrots, peeled
• 3  ounces squash, assorted baby squash, halves
• 3  ounces green beans, trimmed

• Dumplings

• 1  cup buttermilk
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 1⁄4 cups cake flour
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 3⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Sweat onion, celery, herbs, and cayenne in butter in a covered Dutch oven over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute; don't worry about clumps.
3. Deglaze with wine, whisk in cicken broth, and simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in cream. Add chicken, peas, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer. Stir carrots, squash and green beans into stew.
4. Meanwhile, make the dumpling dough. Warm buttermilk and 3 tablespoons butter in for the dumplings in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts (do not worry if the buttermilk curdles).
5. Combine cake flour, parsley, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients to form a wet dough.
6. Drop dough onto simmering stew with a cookie scoop or spoon. cover, transfer pot to the oven, and steam 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the dumplings comes out clean.