Chicken Stew and Dumplings (2024)

Chicken Stew:

• ▢ 8 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets - (about 720g/1.5lbs), quartered
• ▢ 3 carrots - peeled and chopped into chunks
• ▢ 3 medium sized potatoes - peeled and chopped into small chunks
• ▢ 2 sticks of celery - sliced
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ ½ tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 1.2 litres (5 cups) chicken stock - (water plus 3 stock cubes is fine)
• ▢ 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped
• ▢ 50 g (½ cup minus 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour

Dumplings:

• ▢ 240 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ▢ 3 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 100 g (1 packed cup) grated strong cheddar
• ▢ ½ tsp dried parsley
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter - melted
• ▢ 180 ml (¾ cup) milk

To Serve:

• ▢ freshly chopped parsley

• Add the chicken, carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and stock to a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat.

  8 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets, 3 carrots, 3 medium sized potatoes, 2 sticks of celery, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1.2 litres (5 cups) chicken stock

• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (fan).

• When the chicken and vegetables are cooked, melt the butter in a large, deep casserole dish, over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

  45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, 1 large onion

• Add in the flour and mix it into the onions and butter using a balloon whisk. It should form into a creamy paste (a roux).

  50 g (½ cup minus 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour

• Allow the roux to cook for a minute whilst stirring with your whisk, then add in a ladle of the stock from the chicken broth (try to get mostly stock - not the chicken/veggies). Stir the broth into the mixture, using your whisk.

• Repeat this until you have ladled out most of the stock from the chicken pan. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently, while stirring for a couple of minutes, until the sauce thickens.

• Then pour the remaining stock, plus the chicken and vegetables into the pan with the thickened sauce.

• Allow to simmer for a few minutes, while you make the dumplings.

• Place the flour, baking powder, cheese, and parsley in a bowl and mix together.

  240 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 100 g (1 packed cup) grated strong cheddar, ½ tsp dried parsley

• Add the melted butter and three-quarters of the milk, and stir together until you get a sticky dough – adding more milk if needed.

  2 tbsp unsalted butter, 180 ml (¾ cup) milk

• Turn off the heat on the pan with the chicken. Add large blobs of the dumpling mixture to the top of the casserole using two spoons.

• Place in the oven to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the dumplings are lightly browned.

• Take out of the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving, topped with fresh parsley.

  freshly chopped parsley

Swaps

Change up the dumplings by swapping out the cheddar for your favourite cheese. Red Leicester or parmesan work great. You can also add in ½ tsp garlic powder for garlic-bread style dumplings.

Add different vegetables - such as mushrooms, peas or green beans to the stew.

Can I make it ahead?

You can make the chicken stew part (not the dumpling part) of the recipe ahead, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

To reheat and finish the recipe, heat the stew through in the casserole dish, over the hob/burner, until piping hot (you may need to add a splash of stock or water to loosen it up a little). Then continue on with the recipe, making, adding and baking the dumpling topping with the stew.

Can I freeze it?

You can make and freeze the chicken stew part (not the dumpling part) of the recipe ahead, then cool, cover and freeze.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

To reheat and finish the recipe, heat the stew through in the casserole dish, over the hob/burner, until piping hot (you may need to add a splash of stock or water to loosen it up a little). Then continue on with the recipe, making, adding and baking the dumpling topping with the stew.

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, based on this recipe serving 6 people.