Chicken Stew With Dumplings

Chicken Stew With Dumplings

Stew

4 tablespoons (57g) butter, cold
1/2 cup flour
3 cups (680g) chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups (454g to 510g) diced cooked chicken
2 1/2 cups (312g to 340g) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and/or cooked; or a mixture of cooked peas and carrots
Dumplings
2 1/4 cups (255g) flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley or 2

   teaspoons dried, optional    

3/4 cup (170g) buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (28g) butter, melted

Directions:

In a soup pot, heat the boil ober medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, peas, and celery, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.

To make the dumplings, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Stir in the sage.  Add the milk and stir to make a soft dough.  Using a tablespoon, drop equal amounts of the dough onto the surface of the simmering soup.  Cover and cook until the dumplings are firm, about 15 minutes. 

• Spoon the soup and dumplings into warmed large bowls and serve at once.  Serves 8

Variation:  To make a classic chicken noodle soup, omit the dumplings and add cooked egg noodles or small pasta shapes, such as datalink, along with chicken, cooked long-grain rice and heat through.  

For chicken and rice soup, add cooked noodles or long grain rice and heat through.  Don't add uncooked noodles or rice as they will take up too much liquid, making the soup too thick.