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Chicken Thighs and Dumplings

Source of Recipe

From "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" by Martha Hall Foose


Recipe Introduction

"Purists may cringe at the addition of herbs and mushrooms to this reassuring stalwart of Southern kitchens, but I believe it brings the dish up to date."

List of Ingredients

Chicken:
◦ 8 bone-in chicken thighs
◦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
◦ 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
◦ 3 tablespoons clarified butter, canola oil, or schmaltz
◦ 2 shallots, finely chopped
◦ 4 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
◦ 1 quart chicken broth
◦ 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Dumplings:
◦ 1 cup cake flour
◦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
◦ � teaspoon salt
◦ � teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
◦ 1 large egg
◦ � cup whole milk
◦ � teaspoon thyme leaves
◦ 1 teaspoon chopped chives


Recipe

Cook the chicken:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Combine 4 tablespoons of the flour with a little salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour. In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat the clarified butter until hot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot butter, allowing each side to color before turning, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the browned chicken from the pot and set aside for later.

Add the shallots and mushrooms to the pot. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are tender. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour over the mixture and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth a little at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding more. Stir until smooth. Return the chicken to the pot and add the parsley. Cover and simmer over low heat, skimming fat from the surface occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink at the bone.

Prepare the dumplings:
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the pepper, egg, milk, thyme, and chives. Using a fork, stir the egg mixture into the flour until just moistened. Pat the dough with your hands into a �-inch-thick square. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch square pieces.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a plate and tent with foil while the dumplings cook.

Return the contents of the pot to a simmer. Drop the dumplings into the simmering mixture one at a time to keep the mixture simmering. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the dumplings float to the top and are cooked through. Keep in the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, or pour the dumplings and sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

Serves 4





❧ Notes:

� A speedy alternative is to replace the chicken thighs with one whole rotisserie chicken, cut up (bones and skin removed) and skip to the second half of the recipe.

� The meat from the thighs can be removed and added in the final step, and the bones discarded if you prefer. I think the bones add additional flavor.

� Jim Harrison's essay "Where Have All the Thighs Gone" inspired this recipe.