9/20/2023

Nick Montani’s Chicken and Dumplings

The perfect one-pot meal for the start of Fall.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. jarred chicken stock base
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 large celery stalks
  • 1 small bunch thyme sprigs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsps. unsalted butter
  • 6 cups water

Directions

  1. Divide the kosher salt and black pepper. Chop the yellow onion and celery stalks. Peel the carrots and cut them into rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. Melt the butter. Tie the thyme sprigs with kitchen twine, leaving a little extra for garnish.
  2. Season the chicken thighs evenly with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Place the chicken in a Dutch oven skin side down. Cook over medium-high heat undisturbed until the skin is browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest.
  3. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to your Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until just softened, about 6 minutes. Add the all-purpose flour and cook while stirring constantly for 30 seconds before adding the water, stock base, and tied-up thyme sprigs. Sitr until the stock base, flour, and water are well combined.
  4. Return the chicken to your Dutch oven and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently boil, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the thickest portion of the chicken registers at least 165 degrees – about 15 minutes.
  5. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board while keeping the Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and saving the bones for homemade stock. Remove the thyme bundle and discard. Add the shredded chicken back into your Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
  6. Mix the self-rising flour, buttermilk, and butter in a medium bowl until a batter just comes together. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat and drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into the boiling soup. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about 18 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through.

Serve with additional pepper and thyme leaves for garnish.