Chef John's Chicken and Dumplings
Description
This chicken and dumpling recipe makes delicious fluffy biscuits to top a light and flavorful homemade chicken soup for classic American comfort food.
Ingredients
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1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) whole chicken
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2 1/2 quarts cold water
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1 large carrot, cubed
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1 stalk celery, chopped
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1 onion, chopped
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3 sprigs fresh thyme
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1 bay leaf
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
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salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
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1/2 cup creme fraiche
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1/2 cup milk
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2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
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2 eggs
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2 cups self-rising flour
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4 sprigs thyme, for garnish
Directions
1
Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water, carrot, celery, onion, 3 sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chicken from dutch oven and transfer to a bowl; set aside to cool.
2
Increase heat and bring the stock to a simmer. Skim off any chicken fat that appears on top of the stock and reserve in a bowl. Combine 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat with flour in a small bowl; stir to make a paste, adding more flour if needed. Add the chicken fat and flour mixture to the stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3
Remove chicken meat from the carcass and add to the stock. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes.
4
Whisk creme fraiche, milk, 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves, and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in self-rising flour until almost entirely incorporated; do not overmix.
5
Scoop large dollops of dumpling mixture on top of the chicken stock. Increase heat slightly to medium-high. Cover and simmer until dumplings appear light and fluffy, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve garnish with thyme sprigs.