Chicken and Dumplings

Origin: Southern United States

Chicken and dumplings is a soup that consists of a chicken cooked in water, with the resulting chicken broth being used to cook the dumplings by boiling. A dumpling—in this context—is a biscuit dough, which is a mixture of flour, shortening, and liquid (water, milk, buttermilk, or chicken stock). The dumplings are either rolled out flat, dropped or formed into a ball. It is a popular comfort food dish, commonly found in the Southern and Midwestern United States, that is also attributed to being a French Canadian meal that originated during the Great Depression.

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• ½ cup diced carrot
• cup diced celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
• ½ teaspoon thyme (Optional)
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon salt (Optional)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• salt and ground black pepper to taste (Optional)
• ½ cup frozen petite peas
• ½ cup frozen cut green beans
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt (Optional)
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Pour the olive oil into a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as an Instant Pot®) and select the Saute function. Cook onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf until the vegetables are soft and the onion has turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Add chicken broth, chicken thighs, chicken breasts, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 9 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

3. Step 3

   Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken pieces with tongs and place them in a bowl to cool slightly; discard bay leaf.

4. Step 4

   Mash butter with the flour to make a smooth paste; set aside.

5. Step 5

   Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl for the dumplings. Cut in cold butter until mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Stir in parsley and set aside.

6. Step 6

   Shred cooled chicken and return to the pot. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add peas and green beans. Stir in the flour-butter paste. Select Saute function to bring broth back to a boil.

7. Step 7

   Pour buttermilk into the dumpling mixture and stir until combined. Drop the dumpling dough by heaping spoonfuls on top of the stew; a small cookie scoop works well.

8. Step 8

   Cover pot with the lid, leaving the steam vent open. Select Slow Cooker function and simmer on Low, covered, until dumplings are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center of a dumpling should come out clean.