Featured Recipe
Chicken Dumpling Stew
By Kate
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Hearty chicken dumplings nestled in a rich broth where veggies soften to a sweet aroma. Uses broth made from bouillon and water, loaded with butter-sautéed carrots, celery, onions. Flour thickens. Italian herbs meet garlic and onion powders for subtle layers. Dumplings made from Bisquick plus seasonings, dropped carefully into simmering stew. Dumplings steamed then flipped gently to finish cooking. Swap chicken for turkey, milk for half-and-half for creamier texture. Slightly longer cooking to deepen flavors. Focus on aromas, textures, and tactile signs rather than clock. Makes 12 dumplings feeding 6.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
55 min
Serves:
6 servings
chicken
stew
dumplings
comfort food
soup
Introduction
Chicken simmering slowly with vegetables. Butter melting into diced carrots, celery, onion. Flour dusts all like emerging roux paste, thickening the life in the pot. Fragrant herbs and powders layering complexity. Dumpling dough rested just right, not whipped past tender stage. Scoop dollops dropped in careful spaces, hissing as they meet simmering broth. Covered and left to steam, fluffing up like clouds. Turning over carefully after steaming, crust forming at base. You smell the homey, hearty vibe taking over kitchen. Not about speed. It’s about patience and attention. Helping you master timing by eye and feel, not stopwatch. Kitchen wisdom designed for cooks ready to skip guesswork.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Water and bouillon for broth—bouillon dissolves quickly and boosts flavor fast but watch salt levels. Butter for sauté, brings moisture and flavor—unsalted gives control. Flour thickens; more flour thickens but risks heaviness. Chicken shredded cooked works from leftovers; turkey makes good substitute for firmly textured stew. Italian seasoning with classical herbs for balance, poultry seasoning and thyme for dumplings for subtle aroma and complexity. Milk softens broth and dough; half-and-half richer but heavier. Bisquick speeds dumpling prep but allows tweaking consistency. Seasonings in dumplings essential to avoid bland dough clumps. Parsley can cut richness, brighten plate.
Method
For The Broth
- Start with water and bouillon. Microwave 4 minutes until steaming hot; stir to dissolve completely. Why microwave? Speed and less mess than stove. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, melt butter in large stockpot. Add diced carrots, celery, onion. Stir constantly to soften but don’t brown, about 12 minutes. Onion should be translucent, veggies tender. Smell sweetness and faint earthiness, carrot and celery aromas start to sing. Burnt onion ruins broth - keep stirring, don't rush.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over softened vegetables. Stir to coat and cook out raw flour taste, about 3 minutes—look for paste-like texture and slight golden edge. This step thickens broth without clumps.
- Gradually pour broth into roux, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to boil. Liquid thickens, surface bubbles actively with a low roar. Not a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low.
- Add shredded chicken, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, salt. Stir gently; incorporate milk. Simmer gently on low while you whip up dumplings. Low simmer avoids breaking chicken up, keeps broth creamy and smooth. Stir occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, mix Bisquick with poultry seasoning and thyme thoroughly. Seasonings distributed evenly prevents pockets of weird flavor.
- Slowly drizzle milk into Bisquick blend. Fold with spatula until moist dough forms. Important not to overmix — lumpy but combined is good. Let rest 2-3 minutes to allow gluten to relax; dumplings won’t toughen when cooked.
- Use 1 ½ tablespoon scoop to portion dough. Drop dollops carefully into simmering stew spaced at least an inch apart—they inflate. Listen for faint sizzle as dumplings land—indicates hot enough.
- Cover pot, keep heat low. Watch sides for bubbles gently breaking. Steam dumplings for 20 minutes. If green tint appears in broth from herbs, that’s fine. Dumplings firm up but soft inside.
- Remove lid carefully to avoid steam burn. Using spatula or spoon, gently flip each dumpling over. Turn slow, steady, with a scraping motion to avoid tearing. Cook uncovered another 3-5 minutes to dry top and set texture. Dumpling bottoms should have light golden crust. Pot smells rich, herbaceous, buttery.
- Serve hot with optional chopped parsley. Dumplings hold shape but mouthfeel is fluffy with tender crumb. Stew thick and velvety. Rest for 5 minutes prior if time, flavors meld better. Store leftovers tightly covered in fridge.
- Turkey works great here if chicken scarce. Use half-and-half instead of milk for richer broth; cut butter by 1 tbsp to avoid excessive fat. If no bouillon, simmer chicken bones longer and reduce water for depth. Carrots and celery should remain slightly firm to contrast soft dumplings. If dumplings sink immediately, broth too hot or dough too wet. Lower heat and add more flour next time. Flipping dumplings tricky at first; practice with small batch helps.
- Cook times shift based on heat sources, altitude, and pot type. Look, listen, and feel cues over timers.
- Butter browning in sauté step changes flavor profile—avoid or embrace depending on past attempts.
- Doubling seasoning in dumplings can overpower stew, less is more here. Parsley adds brightness cutting richness.
Dumplings
Notes
Technique Tips
Broth starts by dissolving bouillon in hot water—microwave saves time and reduces cleanup. Sauté veggies in butter until soft but no browning; key to prevent bitter notes. Flour stirring cooks out raw taste, prevents gritty lumps. Gradual broth addition to roux with continual stirring avoids clumps—take your time. Adding chicken last avoids overcooking during broth thickening. Milk rounds flavor and softens broth texture but add gently to avoid curdling. Dumpling dough mixed gently and rested to prevent toughening from overworked gluten. Scooping dumplings spaced properly allows proper expansion. Covering pot traps steam to cook dumplings evenly. Flipping dumplings finishes cooking on other side, prevents sogginess beneath. Visual cues—broth bubbles, dumpling edges firming, slight crust development guide timing more than clocks. Rest stew briefly before serving to meld flavors.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start broth with boiling water and bouillon. Microwave gets it hot fast, easy dissolve. Sauté veggies in butter, no browning. Sweet smells mean you're on track.
- 💡 Flour needs to coat veggies, stir till you see no raw bits. Creates paste-like base for thickness. Gradual broth addition avoids lumpy texture.
- 💡 Dumpling dough should be mixed lightly. Use spatula to combine—don’t overdo it. Let it rest. Gluten relaxes. This makes dumplings soft, not tough.
- 💡 Spacing dumplings apart is key. They'll expand while cooking. Remember to cover pot tightly. Traps steam for cooking, listen for gentle bubbling.
- 💡 Gently flip dumplings after steaming. A scraping motion avoids tearing. Cook uncovered to dry tops a bit—look for light golden crust forming.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use turkey instead of chicken?
Yes, turkey works well. Shredded cooked turkey maintains texture. Adjust cooking time if raw.
What if my broth is too salty?
Try adding more water or low-sodium broth to dilute. Also helps cozy flavors meld better.
Why did my dumplings sink?
Likely too much milk or boiling hot broth. Lower heat next time. More flour might help firm them up.
Storage options for leftovers?
Refrigerate tightly covered. Freeze if longer storage needed. Just remember to reheat gently to avoid toughening.
