cozy chicken and dumplings

Ingredients

Stew

2½ to 2¾ pounds(1.15 to 1.25 kilograms) bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

A pinch or three of red-pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

4 tablespoons (55 grams)

unsalted butter, divided 3 large ribs celery, diced (about 1½ cups, or 210 grams)

3 medium carrots, diced (about 1½ cups, or 215 grams)

1 large yellow onion, diced ¼ cup (60 grams) dry sherry or white wine (optional)

⅓ cup (45 grams) all-purpose flour

1 quart (950 grams) chicken broth

1 cup (235 grams) milk, any kind

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

¾ cup (105 grams) frozen green peas (optional)

¼ cup minced fresh herbs of your choice (I like parsley, chives, and dill), divided

Dumplings

1 cup (235 grams) milk, any kind

3 tablespoons (45 grams)

unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons (4 grams) kosher salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1¾ cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour

Directions

Make the stew: Season chicken on both sides with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and, if using, red-pepper flakes.

Heat a large (5-to-6-quart) heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, and melt half of the butter in it. Arrange half the chicken pieces skin side down and cook until a nutty golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces over and brown on the second side. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining butter and chicken, adding it to the plate with the first pieces.

Add the celery, carrots, and onion to the empty pot, season well with salt and pepper, and cook until partially softened, about 7 minutes. Add the sherry or wine, if using, scraping up any stuck bits, and cooking until the liquid disappears. Stir in the flour. Stir in the broth, milk, bay leaf, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot, and season with additional salt and pepper. Cover, and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is just cooked through (it will have more cooking time in a moment) and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the chicken with tongs, and set it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Discard the bay leaf, and return the chicken to cozy chicken and dumplings (continued)

the pot to rewarm. Stir in peas, if using, and add 3 tablespoons of the minced herbs. Taste for seasoning (this will be your last chance to get it right), adding more salt and pepper as needed. (I usually need a total of 2

to 3 teaspoons of kosher salt for the stew.)

Make the dumplings: Heat the milk, butter, and salt in a medium bowl in the microwave, or in a medium pot over medium-high heat, just until the butter melts. Thoroughly whisk in the baking powder; then stir in the flour.

Scoop golf-ball-sized portions of the soft dough (with either a soup spoon or a cookie scoop), and drop them, one at a time, over the top of the stew.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until dumplings cover the surface, having doubled in size, about 15 minutes. If you can bear it, let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of herbs, and divide between soup bowls.