Description
A rich and comforting Creamy Chicken Stew and Dumplings recipe featuring tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fluffy homemade dumplings simmered in a flavorful creamy broth. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this one-pot meal combines classic flavors with an easy-to-follow method.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Stew:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb (450g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Dumplings:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add garlic: Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Simmer the stew base: Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Let the stew simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften.
- Prepare dumpling batter: While the stew simmers, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and garlic powder. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and egg until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Add chicken and peas, drop dumplings: Return the cooked chicken to the pot and stir in the frozen peas. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling batter onto the surface of the stew, arranging them evenly. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook dumplings: Let the dumplings cook for 15-18 minutes without lifting the lid, allowing them to steam and puff up until firm to the touch.
- Finish and serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Serve the creamy chicken stew and dumplings hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Do not lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking to ensure they steam properly.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for chicken breasts for a juicier stew.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, but the stew may be less creamy.
- Fresh herbs can be used in place of dried, adjusting quantities accordingly.
- Leftover stew can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
