Weeknight Fix: Chicken Stew & Dumplings

Posted by Lesli

Yesterday was crazy! After leaving work, picking up my kids, eyeing the mail and surveying the kitchen for signs of food I could throw together for a meal, I decided on chicken. Chicken is a favorite that can be adapted into whatever flavour you're in the mood for. I was in the mood for some sort of chicken stew. (Who knew?)

Sitting conveniently in my fridge were some chicken thighs . So, I started with those and kept it simple. I decided to remove the skin from the thighs, as I'm just as concerned as the next guy about my cholesterol level. (My reasoning is this: If I can save some saturated fat by taking the skin off my chicken, I can make up for it by having double the dark chocolate another time...)

To remove the skin from chicken means you have to handle the chicken. (Oooooooohhh - slimy...) I more or less stick my knife between the skin and the meat of the chicken and push the skin away from the meat. It works. It works better for me than that paper towel way of doing it. I mean, what's that about? Have you tried it? I have and it didn't work at all for me. I guess I'm just paper towel challenged. (Among other things...)

Anyways, here's the recipe I created based on the lack of groceries in my house...

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

5-8 Chicken Thighs (or other chicken parts), skinless (or not)
1 T. Olive Oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. frozen vegetables mix (carrots, peas, beans)
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
1 c. whole wheat or white flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 T. butter or margarine

Directions:

1. Heat large pot and add olive oil. Brown each side of the chicken thighs (About 4 minutes each side.)
2. Add the onion & garlic.
3. Add the broth, vegetables and spices. Simmer while preparing dumplings.
4. In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking powder and butter to make a coarse mixture. Add milk and mix until the flour mixture is just moistened.
5. Add about 1 T. of flour to thicken the juices of the stew.
6. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into the stew, cover with a lid and simmer on low for 10-12 minutes.

Just a note: Um, if you're like me and inadvertently forget to add the baking powder to the flour mixture, that's okay...your dumplings won't be as fluffy as they could have been (They'll be complete rubbery, dough balls...), but really, aren't there more important things to worry about...?

TAGS: Baking Powder, Chicken, Chicken Stew, Cholesterol, Dark Chocolate, Dumplings, Flour, Meal, Saturated Fat, Thighs, Weeknight
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