Chicken & Dumplings (GF Option)

This is a delicious, comfort meal that the entire family will love! It goes together quickly when you use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I suggest using a pot that is wider as opposed to deeper, so that you have plenty of room to drop the dumplings on the surface of the stew without crowding them.

Whether you choose to make the dumplings with all purpose flour or gluten free, they are absolutely delicious – light and tender. When I made this for my family recently, we were all so happy and satisfied – the consensus was “Excellent!”

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS STEW Serves 6

For the chicken gravy
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large onion, diced
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or 3/4 cup Pamela’s Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix)
7 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups of frozen peas
4 cups bite size chicken, pulled from a Rotisserie Chicken
¼ cup Italian parsley for garnish
For the dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 2 cups of Pamela’s Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (omit if using the Pamela’s GF Mix)
1 scant tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary (optional)
3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
3/4 cup milk

1. To make the stew - In a large (8- to 10-quart), heavy-bottomed saucepan or soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the flour (or GF Mix) over the vegetables and stir. Cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk the stock into the pot, a little at a time, allowing the roux to absorb the liquid before adding more (this will help avoid lumps).
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken pieces and frozen peas.
5. To make the dumplings - Whisk the flour, baking powder, (or GF Mix in place of the flour and baking powder) salt, parsley and rosemary together in a large bowl, then cut in the butter using a pastry blender until it is in small pea-sized pieces.
6. Add the milk and stir to moisten the flour mixture. (Do not overmix or you will develop the gluten in the flour and the dumplings will be chewy.)
The dough will be moist and soft. Using a large spoon or your hands, scoop out eight 1/4-cup chunks of dough, then drop into the simmering soup(it's OK if they sink down), spacing them apart. Cover the pot and simmer until the dumplings are done (a knife inserted in the center should come out clean), about 20 minutes. (Avoid lifting the lid while the dumplings are cooking.)
7. Using a serving spoon or tongs, divide the chicken and dumplings among eight soup bowls. Ladle the gravy over the dumplings and chicken, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.