Chicken and Dumplings
Bacon grease lends deep, smoky flavor to this version of chicken and dumplings, a stew full of thick, dense noodles. It is distinct from other variations you may see with the equivalent of drop biscuits simmered on top. The bacon grease is a key part of this recipe, but in a pinch, you can use butter. This dish takes a little while to come together, but the result is worth it. It makes an ideal Sunday supper during cold, dreary days.
To make this recipe go faster, wash and cut the vegetables for the stew while the chicken is poaching.
Make ahead: The poached chicken and broth can be prepared and refrigerated separately for up to 4 days in advance.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The stew will thicken as it sits, because the dumplings will continue to absorb the broth. Gently reheat over low heat until warmed through, adding more broth or water as needed to loosen, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate leftover broth for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), unpeeled
- 1 small bunch fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons fine salt, divided
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more as needed
- Generous 3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided, plus more as needed
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and diced
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, thoroughly washed, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease (see Substitutions)
- Water, as needed
Directions
Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, arrange the chicken skin side up and cover with enough cold water to submerge by 1 inch. Trim the root of the onion, then halve the onion through the stem; peel and dice one of the onion halves and set aside. Add the other onion half, with its skin, to the pot, followed by 4 chives, the peppercorns and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and stir briefly to submerge the aromatics.
Step 2
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, skimming off the gray scum at the surface as needed. Once the liquid is gently boiling, immediately remove from the heat and cover the pot. Poach the chicken until it registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat, away from the bone, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Using your hands or two forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and transfer to a medium bowl; discard the bones and skin. While the chicken is cooling, strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer; discard the aromatics. Measure out 4 1/2 cups of the broth, and refrigerate or freeze the rest for another use. Wash the pot and dry it thoroughly; you’ll use it again.
Step 3
In a medium pot over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup of the broth, 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts. Meanwhile, finely chop 3 tablespoons of chives.
Step 4
Add a generous 3/4 cup of the flour, and stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a dough. Continue to cook, stirring the mixture vigorously, until the dough is glossy and starts to pull away from the sides of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5
Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the chives and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Add the egg, and vigorously stir until fully incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 6
Generously flour a large sheet pan. Using a No. 60 disher or measuring spoon, scoop scant 1-tablespoon portions of the dough, gently rolling them in the flour on the sheet to coat. Generously flour your hands, then roll and flatten each portion into a rough oval slightly less than 1/4-inch thick. It’s okay if the disks look irregular. Return the flattened ovals to the floured sheet pan. You should get 12 to 16 dumplings.
Step 7
Return the large pot to medium heat, and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the carrot, leek and diced onion, and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the cracked black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring to combine. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 7 to 10 minutes. Do not let the aromatics brown; adjust the heat as needed.
Step 8
Push the vegetables to the edges of the Dutch oven or pot, add the bacon grease to the center and let it melt. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup of flour and cook, whisking constantly to form a roux, until the mixture turns deep golden, 2 to 4 minutes. (It’s okay if some or most of the vegetables get into the roux.) While whisking, gradually add the remaining 4 cups of the reserved broth to bring the mixture together. The mixture should be thick and opaque, similar to a cream-based soup; if it feels too thick, add additional broth or water, 1/4 cup at a time, to thin it out. Bring the liquid to a simmer, and gently add the dumplings one at a time, shaking off excess flour, evenly distributing them throughout the pot. (If needed, gently nudge the dumplings with a spoon to submerge them in the liquid.)
Step 9
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the dumplings slightly puff and look less fragile, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, stirring carefully to distribute the meat without breaking up the dumplings. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, divide the chicken and dumplings among bowls and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve hot.
Substitutions
Can’t find bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts? >> Use chicken breasts or thighs with or without the skin or bones.
Bacon grease >> Regular salted or unsalted butter or plant-based butter.
Dairy-free? >> Plant-based butter.
Variations
If pressed for time, try making this dish using store-bought chicken broth and cooked chicken breast, such as from a rotisserie bird. Start with making the dumpling dough and pick up the recipe from there.
