Herby chicken stew
A note from the chef... “This recipe looks more complicated than it actually is. Once you decide whether you are cooking in the oven or on the stove top it becomes easy. There is also no real need to aim for crispy chicken and dumplings, the stew will be delicious anyway. We have provided dumpling mix but dumpling mix is easily made using Atora suet and self-raising flour (the suet packet even has the dumpling recipe on it). As always you can adapt this recipe. You can add soft herbs or spices - I like smoked paprika or Cajun spice or small pieces of ham or bacon to the dumpling mix. This version of the stew is flavoured with bay and rosemary, which are put in at the beginning of the cooking process. Dried mixed herbs or dried tarragon are really good with chicken and would also be added at the end. If you chose to add a soft herb like basil, you would add at the end.”
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS
1 kg chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 small onion
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
1 medium or half a large leek
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 stock cubes or pods to make 1 litre of stock
3 bay leaves, sprig of rosemary
1 pack of dumpling mix.
METHOD
1. Peel and dice the onion, carrot and leek. Give the leek a good wash. Using a peeler, scrape along the back of the celery to take of the stringy thread (if preferred) and dice the celery.
2. Add the oil and chicken to a large pan or casserole dish. Brown the meat all over. Once browned, remove the chicken and set aside. Keep the juices in the pan.
3. Add the vegetables. Cook on a low heat for 2-3 mins - do not colour.
4. Coat the vegetables with the flour. Cook for a minute. Add stock - enough to cover the vegetables. Add the bay leaves and rosemary. Keep any leftover stock.
5. Carefully add the chicken, skin side up, to the vegetable stew base - use tongs (if possible) or take off the heat and allow to cool for a bit. The aim is to keep the skin out of the stew so it stays crispy! Try to leave a bit of room on top of the stew because you will add the dumplings later. Easy in a big pan - trickier in a smaller pan. 2 hours cooking £1.25 per person Oven or Hob cook Flavour to taste.
6. If your casserole or pan is oven safe put the lid on or cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45 mins. If not, cover and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes. Check the stew whilst it is cooking and top up the liquid with left over stock or water if needed.
7. Whilst the stew is cooking make up the dumpling mix according to the manufacturer’s instruction and divide into 4 large or 8 small dumplings. Top tip: coat your hands with flour before - it is very sticky.
8. Add the dumplings to the stew mix; you might have to move things around or take out the chicken and add back in to fit everything in nicely. Add more liquid if you need it, the aim should be to have some chicken and dumplings on top of the stew so you can crisp them.
9. If cooking in the oven, return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes covered and then uncover for a further 15 minutes. Turn up the heat at the end, if needed. If cooking on top of the stove, cook for 45 minutes.Afterwards, you can crisp up the chicken dumplings under a hot grill. Be careful with plastic or wooden handles!
10. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
