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Crystal's Peppery Chicken and Dumplings

Source of Recipe

Bon Appétit, April 2023


Recipe Introduction

"Crystal Wilkinson is a Kentucky poet laureate and the author of the memoir Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts. This version of chicken and dumplings, an Appalachian staple that can trace its roots back to starchy cassava with vegetables and meat in Africa, is a riff on her grandmother’s. It’s Wilkinson’s fallback comfort food. Chicken thighs are poached with water and vegetables for a rich-tasting broth that is then used to stew the dumplings in, locking in every ounce of flavor. Be sure to use self-rising flour. It performs far better than any homemade combination of flour and leavening (trust us, we’ve tried), yielding delicate, feathery dumplings."

Recipe Link: https://tinyurl.com/pepperychickendumplings

List of Ingredients

Broth:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 large onion, cut into ½-inch pieces
â—¦ 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
â—¦ 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 ½ cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
â—¦ 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper, plus more
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal or 3 ½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
â—¦ 2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 6)
â—¦ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Dumplings and assembly:
â—¦ 2 cups self-rising flour
â—¦ ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
â—¦ ½ cup chilled shortening
â—¦ 1 cup buttermilk, preferably whole milk
â—¦ Freshly cracked pepper



Recipe

Broth:
Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook onion, garlic, celery, peas, 1 tablespoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and celery is tender but still bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Combine chicken, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and 7 cups water in pot and bring to a simmer (still over medium). Cover and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until chicken is cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool slightly. Shred meat; discard skin, bones, and excess fat. Add meat to bowl with cooked vegetables.

Dumplings and assembly:
Return broth in pot to a simmer over medium. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add chilled shortening and rub into dry ingredients with your fingers until mixture is shaggy. Pour in buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms (it might be lumpy).

Using a spoon dipped in cold water, drop tablespoon-size portions of dough into broth (dumplings will bob to the surface and pot will look crowded). Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until dumplings are cooked through and tender (remove a dumpling and cut in half; interior should resemble the inside of a dinner roll) and broth is thickened to a stew-like consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully push dumplings to one side. Add chicken and vegetables; stir gently until just mixed and warmed through (some dumplings may break). Ladle into bowls; season with freshly cracked pepper.

Makes 6 to 8 servings