Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken

4 pounds chicken thighs and breast parts, skin-on, bone-in

• celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bag frozen carrots
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves crushed garlic
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 cans of peas drained
  1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
  Ground black or white pepper

In large pot boil chicken until cooked in salted water.  Remove chicken, let cool, remove bones and skin. Cut up chicken in to bite size pieces. Set aside 2 cups of chicken broth. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peas, and spices (except parsley) into the pan with the cut up chicken and simmer for 30 minutes. Mix 6 TBSP of flower into the reserved chicken broth until smooth. Slowly add to simmering stew in the pan. Cook until mixture thickens. Add parsley and cream to the thickened mixture.  Drop dumpling mixture into the simmering stew, cover and cook until done (see dumpling recipe).


Dumplings:
2 cups cake flour (can sub all-purpose flour, but use cake flour if you have it, your dumplings will be fluffier)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon (optional) I use Chives from my spice garden

Make the dumpling batter by sifting together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together. (Note: do not overmix! or your dumplings will turn out too dense.)
Drop dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. (Note that the dumplings will easily double in size as they cook.) Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam. If after 15 minutes they are still not cooked through (use a toothpick or skewer to test) cover pan again, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.