Chicken and Dumplings

This comes from a Food & Wine Cookbook - Best Of The Best Cookbook Recipes Vol. 13. From Real Cajun, Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe

Chicken & Dumplings

Serves 6

Dumplings

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• scant teaspoon ground black pepper
• scant teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 small onion finely minced 
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Chicken Stew 

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 whole chicken cut into serving pieces
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed, seeded, minced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced

Chicken Stew Preparation

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. In another season the chicken with salt, pepper, and cayenne, then toss with the flour until coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a dutch oven until hot but not smoking, add the chicken and brown on all sides.

 

Transfer the chicken to a plate or bowl and pour out and discard half of the oil in the dutch oven. Add the onion, celery, carrot, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the dutch oven and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the wine then the butter and cook until it melts. Add the leftover dredging flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated, then give it a few more minutes. Add the chicken broth, stir gently and bring to a simmer.

 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until crisp and brown. Add to the dutch oven.

 

Add the chicken to the stew and simmer for about an hour and a half.

 

Preheat the oven to 450°. Use a large spoon to scoop ovals of the dumpling batter onto the stew. Transfer the dutch oven to the oven and bake until the dumplings are lightly golden - about 20 minutes. 

 

Allow the stew to cool slightly then serve in bowls and enjoy.

 

Dumpling Preparation

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, onion, melted butter, and milk. Using a fork stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just blended. Chill for about 30 minutes.