Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken

• Season chicken with salt and pepper.

• Toss with flour until lightly coated.

2. Brown the Chicken

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

• Add chicken, brown on all sides (3–5 min). Do not cook through.

• Remove to a plate and set aside.

3. Sauté Vegetables

• Reduce heat to medium.

• Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter.

• Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook 5 min until softened.

4. Build the Broth

• Stir in chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaves.

• Return chicken to pot.

• Bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Finish the Sauce

• Stir in heavy cream and peas.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Make the Dumplings

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

• Add buttermilk and eggs. Stir until a soft dough forms (don’t overmix).

7. Cook the Dumplings

• Drop spoonfuls (1 tbsp each) of dough into the simmering broth.

• Leave space for expansion.

8. Simmer & Serve

• Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently 15 min until dumplings are cooked through and puffy.

• Remove bay leaves. Serve hot.

💡 Tip: Don’t stir the dumplings while cooking—they need undisturbed steam to rise and become fluffy.