Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

America's Test Kitchen

• Ready In: 7 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Stew

• 3  lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 2  onions, minced
• 2  celery ribs, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried)
• 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup dry sherry
• 4 1⁄2 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed
• 4  carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  cup  frozen peas
• 3  tablespoons  minced fresh parsley

• Dumplings

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  whole milk
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Stew: dry chicken with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
3. Brown half of chicken lightly on both sides, 5-8 minutes; transfer to bowl.
4. Repeat with 1 tablespoon more oil and remaining chicken; transfer to bowl.
5. Heat remaining tablespoon oil over med-high heat until shimmering.
6. Add onions, celery, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme; cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.
7. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
8. Slowly whisk in sherry, scraping up any browned bits.
9. Whisk in 1 cup broth, smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
10. Stir remaining 3 1/2 cups broth, carrots, and bay leaves into slow cooker.
11. Nestle browned chicken with any accumulated juice into slow cooker.
12. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours on low.
13. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces.
14. Let stew settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using a large spoon; discard bay leaves.
15. Stir shredded chicken, peas, and parsley into stew, and season with salt and pepper to taste (adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed).
16. Cover and cook on high until simmering.
17. Dumplings: whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
18. Microwave milk and butter together until warm (do not overheat), about 1 minute, then whisk to melt butter.
19. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just incorporated and smooth.
20. Drop golf ball-size dumplings on top of simmering stew, leaving about 1/4-inch between each dumpling (should have about 18 dumplings).
21. Cover and cook until dumplings have doubled in size, 25-35 minutes; serve.