Chicken and Dumpling Soup

The blog has been a little heavy on sweets lately so I thought it was time for a little bit of balance.  I assure you, I do eat regular food as well (though far less often than pastry!).  Here is a dinner from a few nights ago.  It was cold and rainy and I wanted something that would warm me all the way through.  This was perfect.  As close as you can get to a hug from mom served in a nice little bowl.

Chicken and dumplings is one of my favorite soups.  I very rarely order it and even more rarely make it.  A bad batch of chicken and dumplings is truly horrible and can certainly ruin your night.  This batch is perfect.  It's not overly heavy and doesn't use cream which usually weighs down the dish.  Instead it relies on intense flavor and tender but hearty dumplings to fill you up.  I went heavy on the veggies this time so that no side dishes were necessary.  Just a nice roll to soak up all the leftover juices.

Ingredients
Serves 6
Stew
2 lbs chicken breasts
1 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and skins removed
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 onions, finely chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
5 cups of chicken broth
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. parsley
3/4 cup frozen peas

Dumplings
1.5 cups flour
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. parsley
1/2 t. baking soda
2 T. melted unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Directions
1) Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the 1 T. of oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat.  Place the chicken pieces into the hot oil and cook until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on plate.  When cool enough to touch shred the chicken and discard skins and bones.

2) Add the remaining oil to the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened, about 6-8 minutes.

3) Place the shredded chicken into the pot with the vegetables.  Add the thyme, parsley, and poultry seasoning and mix.  Pour the chicken broth over the mixture and simmer on low.

4) While the stew simmers prepare the dumplings by whisking together the flour, sugar, salt, pepper, baking soda, and parsley.  Stir in the melted butter then whisk in the egg.  Add the buttermilk and stir until just incorporated and the dough comes together.

5) Add the frozen peas to the stew.  Bring back to a simmer.  Measure out a tablespoon of the dumpling dough and roll into a small ball.  Place the dumplings in the stew about an inch apart.  Place the lid on the dutch oven and simmer over low heat until the dumplings are cooked through and have about doubled in size, 12-15 minutes.