Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (approx. 1 cup / 150g)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (approx. 1 cup / 120g)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped (approx. 1 cup / 100g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups (950ml) chicken broth, low sodium preferred
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
  • 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches until lightly browned on all sides. This step adds depth of flavor, but can be skipped for simplicity.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the seared chicken (or raw chicken if skipping the searing step), chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, and pepper.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and easily shreds with a fork.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/4 cup cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Stir in the heavy cream.
  6. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto the simmering stew.
  8. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 15-20 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and no longer doughy. A toothpick inserted into a dumpling should come out clean.