Vermont Farmhouse Chicken and Dumplings
A whole stewing hen simmered into a rich broth with carrots and onion, then topped with pillowy drop dumplings steamed right on top of the stew. It is classic hill-farm cooking meant to use an older laying hen past her egg-laying prime.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 115 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 470 kcal
Equipment
- •Large Dutch oven or stockpot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- fat
- 20
- carbs
- 38
- protein
- 30
- calories
- 470
Instructions
- 1
Put the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, and water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil.
- 2
Lower the heat and partly cover the pot. Simmer for about 1 hour until the chicken is very tender.
- 3
Take out the chicken and let it cool slightly. Shred the meat and throw away the skin and bones.
- 4
Scoop extra fat off the broth. Put the shredded chicken back in and season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt together. Stir in the milk and melted butter until just mixed.
- 6
Bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough across the top, spacing them apart.
- 7
Cover tightly and simmer without opening the lid for 10 minutes. Cook 5-10 more minutes if needed until cooked through.
- 8
Sprinkle parsley on top. Serve hot in bowls.
Chef's tips
Keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the dumplings go in. Do not lift the lid for the first 10 minutes so they stay fluffy.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the dumplings soften further as they sit.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, covered, to avoid breaking up the dumplings.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the stew too hard after adding the dumplings, which breaks them apart.
- •Stirring the dumpling dough too much, which makes the dumplings heavy and dense.
Serving suggestions
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