Homemade Chicken and Dumplings: Rookie Version

For dinner tonight I wanted something cozy and homey.  That's what cold weather does to me... it sends me into the kitchen pulling out old recipes that my mom and grandmother have had memorized for years.  I suggested chicken and dumplings, and (shockingly) Alex was agreeable.  Just one draw back... I've never made chicken and dumplings before.  My grandmother's recipe is (of course) ah-mazing, but I wanted a one-pot meal with more veggies.  I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe.  Alex went back for 2 more bowls (so far), so it must be a keeper.  I did not use turmeric, and my dumplings turned out way too wet at first, but I added more flour and they were perfect... add the half and half slowly, until the dough reaches a biscuit dough consistency so that you don't run into the same problem.  I saved the leftover chicken bones so that I could make homemade chicken stock later this week (frugal!).  Also, this is definitely not a quick-fix meal.  According to the original recipe, the total cook time was about an hour.  I started cooking this at 4 this afternoon and dinner was ready around 6:30 (mostly because I was in a knife fight with a whole chicken), so give yourself plenty of time.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (cut Up Fryer)
• Salt And Pepper
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrots
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
• 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup Apple Cider
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• Dumplings:
• 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1-1/2 cup Half-and-half
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)
• Salt As Needed

Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.

In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.