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Waste-Nothing Chicken & Dumpling Stew Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 61 reviews

A hearty and resourceful chicken and dumpling stew that utilizes every part of a cooked chicken. This comforting dish combines tender shredded chicken with a rich homemade stock and soft, fluffy dumplings cooked atop a savory vegetable base, making it perfect for a warming family meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Stock

  • 1 cooked whole chicken (around 2kg), with around 500g meat leftover, plus any fat from the roasting tray reserved
  • 2 onions, finely chopped, skins reserved
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 3 carrots, finely sliced
  • 1 parsnip, finely sliced
  • 4 celery sticks, finely sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 10g thyme sprigs, leaves picked (divided)
  • Pinch of salt
  • About 1.5 litres cold water (to make stock)

Dumplings

  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 100g unsalted butter, cubed
  • 60–75ml milk
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Stock: Shred the leftover cooked chicken meat and set it aside. Place the chicken carcass, reserved onion skins, and black peppercorns into a deep saucepan. Add the trimmed ends of the onions, carrots, parsnip, and celery for extra flavor. Season with a pinch of salt and cover with about 1.5 litres of cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, skimming any scum from the surface. Use a potato masher to break up the carcass and extract more flavor. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, pressing down on the solids to extract liquid, discarding the remains. You should have about 1 litre of flavorful stock.
  2. Cook the Vegetables: Spoon any reserved fat and juices from the roasted chicken tray into a flameproof casserole dish and melt over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, parsnip, celery, and garlic. Fry partially covered on low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened.
  3. Make the Stew Base: Stir in the plain flour, bay leaves, and half the thyme leaves into the softened vegetables. Cook for a couple of minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually add the prepared chicken stock and shredded chicken meat. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a bowl, combine the self-raising flour, cubed butter, remaining thyme leaves, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 60ml of milk and stir with a knife until the mixture clumps into a soft dough, adding a splash more milk if needed. Knead gently with your hands and divide the dough into 12 equal balls.
  5. Cook Dumplings on Stew: Place the dumpling balls evenly over the surface of the simmering stew. Cover the casserole dish with a lid. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 25-30 minutes until the dumplings have risen, are fluffy, and cooked through. Serve hot.

Notes

  • You can use any leftover fat from roasting the chicken to add richness to the stew base; if unavailable, use butter or oil.
  • Ensure the stock simmers gently to keep it clear and flavorful.
  • If you prefer lighter dumplings, substitute some of the milk with buttermilk for a tangy flavor.
  • The dumplings can be varied by adding herbs like parsley or chives for extra flavor.
  • Serve the stew with crusty bread or a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Keywords: chicken stew,waste-not recipe,dumplings,comfort food,leftover chicken recipe,homemade chicken stock,British cuisine

Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/waste-nothing-chicken-and-dumpling-stew-recipe/