What a comfort food! Chicken and Dumplings ... if you are Southern, you know exactly what I mean. Typically a stew hen is cooked down for hours, then dumplings are cooked in the broth. I change things up just a little, but it's still filling, warming and delicious.
I loved Chicken & Dumplings as a kid. It was always comfort food. When we were in France and Mom made it, it was a remembrance of our friends and community back in the States. I admit to changing things up a bit where Chicken & Dumplings are concerned. I've done this because this is a dish that Mom never required a recipe for and because I like making old things new.
To start with, I crisp up some bacon pieces in the pot. That smoky beginning is the base for all the goodness to come!
And as I remember, Mom used to stew a whole chicken, then take the meat off the bone and return it to the broth before making the dumplings.
However, I dredge the seasoned chicken pieces in {gluten-free} flour before browning them.
And, yes, of course, I use the leftover bacon fat to do the browning!
In addition to the bacon, adding mushrooms adds lots of flavor, too. I slice them thin and saute them with onions and garlic.
Finally, I add some white wine and herbs.
Then some homemade chicken stock and put the chicken back into the pot to simmer for a while.
How to make the "dumpling" part of Chicken & Dumplings
When the chicken is near to falling-off-the-bone tender, mix up the dumpling batter. I use gluten-free flour blend and add some nutmeg along with the salt and pepper.
I don't know what happened, but I totally didn't get a photo of the dumplings cooking in the stock! Just drop them in by teaspoons-full. They should be light and fluffy when cooked through.
How to serve Chicken & Dumplings
Chicken & Dumplings is an every day meal down south. There's no real hoop-la about it. But in the event that you want to change it up, serve it with the meat in whole pieces, the dumplings on the side, plenty of bacon and mushroom sauce, and green peas.
Recipe
Chicken & Dumplings
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 6 ounces bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ¼ cup flour gluten-free flour blend works!
- 4 chicken legs
- 4 chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper
- 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms Feel free to use a combination of mushrooms!
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 6 garlic cloves chopped small
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups homemade chicken broth
For the dumplings
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
Instructions
For the chicken
- In a large Dutch oven, crisp the bacon over medium heat and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. If there's too much fat left in the pot, pour some out (reserve it!), leaving enough to brown the chicken.
- Place flour on a platter. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge them in the flour. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, brown the chicken over medium heat until deep golden brown and crisp, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add more bacon fat if needed, then add the chopped onion. Cook until it is translucent, 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are browned and have released most of their liquid.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the pan and reduce it by half, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the bacon and chicken back to the pot, then add the thyme, bay leaves, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and gently simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is falling off the bone, 2-2½ hours.
For the dumplings
- Whisk dry ingredients together, then add the eggs and milk. Drop by small spoonfuls into the hot broth, around the chicken and mushrooms. They only take 3-5 minutes and should be light and fluffy.
- Serve the meat in whole pieces, the dumplings on the side, plenty of bacon and mushroom sauce, and green peas.
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