I love chicken noodle soup. It’s hearty, easy to make and a cure all for the common cold (even if only mentally). You can swap out the noodles for something else (like I did in this recipe for grown up chicken soup with rice) or add other creative spins to reinvent this classic dish. However, no matter how many ways you dress this soup up or down, after a while, it’s still just chicken noodle soup.
Equally as hearty and simple to make, chicken and dumplings is a fall and winter staple around my household, perfect for whipping up when you need a break from the blasé.
Most important to know when making this dish is that there are two vital components you’ll need to pay close attention to: the broth and the dumplings. I like to make my broth on the thick, stewy side and my dumplings buttery and not-too-doughy, but you can play around with the proportions to customize it to your preference.
To perfect your broth, you’ll want to simmer it with flavorful veggies and seasonings and a little bit of white wine. I like the Lake Country, BC-made Pinot Gris from 50th Parallel. A luscious, medium-bodied wine, this 2014 Pinot Gris adds subtle and distinct flavor to this already tantalizing dish.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes or more
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the broth:
6 tablespoons butter
2 yellow onions, diced
5 celery ribs, diced
4 carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons flour (plus more for thickening)
40 ounces chicken stock
1 cup 50th Parallel Pinot Gris
1 cup frozen peas
2 pounds cooked, shredded (or chopped) chicken
½ cup parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dumplings:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
In a stockpot over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and sauté onions, celery and carrots until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the mixture and melt over low heat. Slowly sift in 1 tablespoon of flour, whisking constantly. As mixture begins to thicken, alternate between adding ¼ cup of chicken stock and 1 tablespoon of flour until all the flour has been added. (If you like your chicken and dumplings on the stewy side, you can continue this process with more flour until the mixture has thickened further.)
Once all the flour has been added, slowly whisk in the remaining chicken stock and wine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, add peas, chicken, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Let simmer, uncovered.
While the broth is simmering, prepare the dumplings. To make the dumplings, simply stir together flour, baking powder and salt, and add to it the milk and melted butter. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
Next, use a tablespoon-size scoop to spoon dough into broth. You can form the dough balls with your hands to make them more round, or simply plop them off the spoon straight into the broth for a more rustic effect.
Cover the chicken and dumplings and simmer on low for 45 minutes or until dumplings are completely cooked.
This dish can be served alone or alongside fresh-baked bread, your favorite salad, or a variety of other greens.
