Yosemite Chicken Stew With Cornmeal Dumplings (Low Fat)

Real comfort food that is good for you! How good is that? Warming and homey and kinda makes you want to snuggle into your flannel P.J.'s. I always add a bit of powdered chicken soup base to give it that final flavor boost.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the stew

• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1⁄2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
• 1  medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1  stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
•  black pepper
• 1  pinch ground cloves
• 1  bay leaf
• 3  cups water
• 1  teaspoon cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (10 ounce) package  frozen peas

• For the cornmeal dumplings

• 1  cup yellow cornmeal
• 3⁄4 cup  sifted all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil

Directions

1. Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 1/2 hour or until chicken is tender.
2. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth.
3. Skim fat from broth; measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid.
4. Mix cornstarch with 1 cup cooled broth.
5. Pour into saucepan with remaining broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened.
6. Add basil, peas, and reserved vegetables to sauce; stir to combine.
7. Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.
8. For the dumplings:
9. Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
10. Mix together milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients; stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft.
11. Drop by full tablespoons on top of braised meat or stew. Cover tightly; heat to boiling. Reduce heat (do not lift cover) to simmering and steam about 20 minutes.