Chicken Dumpling Soup

Last night we made Chicken Dumpling Stew. Sarah saw the recipe in the Cook's Illustrated magazine she bought the other day. All of the recipes looked great. We had a hard time deciding which one to make. We had a few friends over to share and after the meal was over we regretted not having any leftovers. We modified the recipe a little from the original, just to try new things.

Chicken Dumpling Stew
6 cups chicken stock low-sodium
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 carrots peeled, sliced and cut 1/4 inch thick
2 stalks chopped celery
1 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves of garlic chopped fine or minced
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon thyme - next i might try adding just a little more
2 bay leaves- dry are just fine
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley

for the dumplings
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups heavy cream.

So, one of the new things we learned from making this is how to poach really tasty chicken. Before we had always done it in water. But this time we tried it in the chicken broth that we used for the soup. So first bring the broth to a boil in a large stock pot or dutch oven and when it's boiling add the chicken. Let it cook covered at medium heat for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes take the chicken out (tongs work great) and place on a plate with tin foil over to keep it warm. Also transfer the broth to a bowl and set aside. When it is cool you should use a fork to pull it into pieces or just use your good old clean hands.

Using the same pot melt the butter and then add your veggies; carrot, onion and celery and cook for about 7 minutes. Then add your garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, you will smell the deliciousness.

Now you want to add in the flour, it can get a little lumpy but no worries, just keep stirring and then add in the broth that you set aside earlier as well as the cream, thyme, bay leaves and pepper. Bring it back to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low and cook for at least 20 minutes. While this cooking you can make the dumpling mixture.

Take out the bay leaves and then add the chicken, if you have more time let it cook until about 20 minutes before you want to serve and then you will drop the dumplings in, which are very fast.

To make the dumplings mix the dry and then add in the cream. It will be lumpy, thick and shaggy. Then form the batter into about 18 balls that are an inch in diameter.

When ready drop the balls in and cook for 15-18 minutes or until they have doubled in size.

Serve. Your guests will be going back up for seconds...ours did.