Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe is from Mother's Bistro, which is a fantastic breakfast spot in downtown Portland. If you haven't been there, you need to put it on your to do list quickly. A sweet friend (Kim) bought me the cookbook which has hundreds of amazing recipes. Every single thing I've made from it has been absolutely fantastic. This did not disappoint either!

Chicken and Dumplings

Adapted from Mother's Bistro Cookbook

Ingredients

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 c flour

7 c chicken stock

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 large carrots, peeled and diced (1 1/2 c)

5 ribs celery, diced (2 1/2 c)

Dumplings

2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp finely chopped parsley

3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 c whole milk

For Serving

5 c cooked chicken (I bought a rotisserie chicken from Albertson's and shredded it)

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Directions

Gravy: In a large, heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and mix well to make a roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles fine, wet sand, about 3 min.

Whisk the broth into the roux a little at a time, allowing the roux to absorb the liquid before adding more (this will help prevent lumps). Add the salt, pepper, carrots and celery. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, and then lower the heat and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Dumplings: Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and parsley together in a large bowl, and the cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two knives, or a whisk until it's in small pieces.

Add the milk and stir to moisten the flour mixture. Gather the dough gently into a ball. Don't overwork or it will become gummy! Using your hands, scoop 1/4 c chunks of dough and roll them into a ball. Drop them into the simmering gravy. Cover the pot and simmer until the dumplings are done, about 20 minutes. Don't lift the lid! Be patient!

When the dumplings are done, stir in the chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.