Chicken and "Slick" Dumplings
Recipe GLPR026edc020f07ba
A classic French-inspired poached chicken broth enriched with tender butter-based dumplings. A whole small chicken is gently simmered with aromatics and herbs to create a silky, flavorful broth, then finished with pillowy soft dumplings made from a simple dough of butter, flour, and baking powder. The result is a comforting, one-pot meal where the dumplings take on a delicate, slightly slick texture from the rich broth.
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Ingredients
1 whole small chicken, about 3 pounds
2 medium onions, ends trimmed and quartered
1 small head garlic, ends trimmed
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 bunch fresh parsley, stems reserved for broth and leaves chopped
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch Pinch of nutmeg, optional
Directions
Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover generously with cold water. Add the quartered onions, whole garlic head, peppercorns, and parsley stems. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for about 60 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender with an internal temperature of 165°F.
Carefully remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Return the broth to the pot and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
While the chicken cools, prepare the dumpling dough. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the softened butter and vegetable shortening using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the milk and lemon juice to the flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined into a soft, slightly sticky dough. If desired, add a small pinch of nutmeg for extra flavor.
Bring the seasoned broth back to a gentle simmer. Using a small spoon or melon baller, carefully drop small portions of the dumpling dough directly into the simmering broth. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pot.
Allow the dumplings to cook for about 15-20 minutes until they float and are set through, becoming tender and slightly slick from the rich broth.
While the dumplings cook, shred or cut the cooled chicken meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones.
Add the shredded chicken back to the pot with the dumplings and broth. Gently stir in the chopped fresh parsley leaves. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to warm through and meld flavors.
Ladle the chicken, dumplings, and broth into serving bowls. Serve hot and enjoy.
