Chicken and Dumplings

Description:

As with many American recipes, the origins of this dish trace back to Europe and were brought to North American by European settlers. Variations of this dish were prepared in Europe for hundreds of years, but over time, it took root in America. In the 19th and 20th century, this dish was eaten on special occasions, given that chickens were primarily raised for eggs rather than for meat. Whenever an old, formerly egg-producing hen was slaughtered, it was necessary to stew this tougher meat in a broth for several hours to make it tender. Today, chicken and dumplings has become an emblematic dish of the American South and is popular in other parts of the country as well.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1/2 medium onion, diced

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 2 medium carrots, chopped into rings

• 4 cups chicken stock (960 ml)

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• Salt & pepper

Dumplings

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

Preparation:

In a pot, heat 1 tbsp of the butter and the vegetable oil over high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt & pepper on both sides, then add to the pan. Cook until chicken is browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook chicken for 30-40 minutes, until it is able to be shredded with a fork. Remove chicken from the pot and shred using two forks.

In a bowl, mix together all of the dumpling ingredients - the batter should be relatively thick. Heat the chicken stock over medium heat, then add a spoonful of the dumpling batter one at a time. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until dumplings are cooked- they will double in size. Gently remove from the pot.

In a different pot, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat and add the carrots, onion and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened. At this point, you can add 1 tbsp of flour to the vegetables - if the dumplings have thickened the chicken stock mixture enough from the cooking, you can skip this step. Add the chicken stock and shredded chicken to the pot, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium until a thin gravy forms. Season to taste with salt & pepper. To serve, add the dumplings back to the pot, placing them over top the chicken gravy. Cover with a lit and allow the dumplings to reheat for a couple minutes. To serve, spoon into a large bowl and enjoy.

Notes:

• It is common to use pre-made biscuit dough for this recipe so you can choose to do that if you prefer.