Test Blog: Chicken & Dumplings

It's that time of year again.
We woke up to 18 degrees and this:

The good news is,

in a few days we will be back to temps in the 60's

and the white stuff will be forgotten...

until next time.

Whenever the weather turns cold

Mr. B requests his favorite comfort food meal,

Chicken & Dumplings,

and I am happy to oblige.

Once again I turn to my favorite recipe, adapted from,

The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

This is a nice slowly cooked meal,

giving the chicken thighs plenty of time to release their

juicy flavor.

By suppertime,

the house spells amazing and we can't wait to dig in!

It truly is cold weather comfort food at it's very best!

Chicken & Dumplings

Slightly adapted from The America' s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Stew:

5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt & Pepper

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons(1/2 stick) unsalted butter

4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 onion, minced

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white wine

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup whole milk (I've used 2% milk and noticed no difference)

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen peas

3 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried

Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk (again, you can use 2% with no problem)

3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)

For the stew:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt an pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large, heavy dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. We are going for just color here, not cooking the chicken until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off and save the chicken fat. Return the dutch oven to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Remember to reserve any chicken fat.

Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions and celery and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the flour.

Whisk in the wine, scraping up any brown bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves.

Nestle the chicken, along with any accumulated juices, into the pot.

Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and falling off the bone, several hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the the bones and other unsavory pieces, then return to meat to the stew.

For the Dumplings:

Do Not Prepare Before Ready!

Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat (or butter) in a microwave safe measuring cup on high until just warm (do not overheat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until incorporated and smooth.

Return the stew to a simmer, add the peas and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drop golf ball-sized dumplings onto the stew about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size and look dry, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot and sit back and enjoy

the oohs and aahs as your family enjoys this, stick to your ribs, meal.