Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Step 1

Cook the chicken and vegetables

Step 2

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the 2 Tbs. butter. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots, onion, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the chicken is opaque, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the 2 Tbs. flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the broth, add the peas and bring to a boil.

Step 3

Make the dumpling dough

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the 2 cups flour, the baking powder and the 1 tsp. salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 8 Tbs. butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs the size of peas. Add the milk and stir, then knead a few times until the mixture forms a soft dough.

Step 5

Finish the stew

Step 6

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough over the top of the boiling stew. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook until the dumplings have nearly doubled in size, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Step 7

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).