Chicken and Dumplings

 

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ cups All-purpose Flour

1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (cut Up Fryer) (I used two large chicken breasts)

Salt And Pepper

½ cups Finely Diced Carrots

½ cups Finely Diced Celery

1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced

½ teaspoons Ground Thyme

¼ teaspoons Turmeric

6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

½ cups Apple Cider

½ cups Heavy Cream

Dumplings:

1-½ cup All-purpose Flour

½ cups Yellow Cornmeal

1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1-½ cup Half-and-half (I didn't have enough half & half so I used some heavy cream combined with some milk)

2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)

Salt As Needed

So I had my assistant. . . . uh, ehr, my daughter who had half a day off to prepare and roast the chicken for me.  I had her skip dredging it in flour, instead I had her get two large chickens breasts I had thawed out, liberally salt and pepper both sides, laid them in a pan and roasted them for about 1/2 hr - .45 minutes, until they were golden brown.  By the time I got home, they were out waiting for me to shred which I did.  I laid them aside and started on the rest.

I took the carrots (already had a bag of julienne cut carrots) and onions with some celery seed since I didn't have the real stuff. I also added the ground thyme and turmeric.  Sauteed them over low-med heated in a dutch oven until the onions were translucent.

Add the broth and apple cider to the pot, then add the shredded chicken.  Let simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

In the mean time, prepare the dumpling batter.  Sift and combine the flour, corn meal, baking powder and the salt.  Then add the half & half.

Combine and set aside.

Add the 1/2 cup of half & half.  Combine and simmer

Drop tablespoons of dumpling batter into the simmering pot.

Add the minced parsley.  Cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Check seasonings, add salt if needed.

Remove from heat, allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Mmmmm, so rich and creamy

Enjoy every spoonful!

I've been wanting to make Chicken and Dumplings for a long time, I've just been too busy until now.  I had my daughter roast the chicken and forgot to tell her to take pictures as she went along.  We made this during the work week but with the chicken already cooked by the time I arrived home, half the work was already done.  I had this cooked and ready to go about an hour after I arrived.  This was so delicious and it hit the spot.  The dumplings were smothered in the creamy savory sauce, I could of just eaten the dumplings themselves.  There was enough leftover for me to take to work the following day.  I LOVE leftovers, don't you?

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman