Southwestern Chicken & Dumplings
There’s a freeze going on all over the country. Most of the northern states aren’t event getting into the 30’s. While the temperature hasn’t dipped quite that low here in Los Angeles, there have still been a few chilly nights as of late. When the thermometer dips, that when it’s time for some hot and hearty comfort food. You could make chili or mac & cheese, but one of my favorites is a thick, hearty soup.
I love soup. It’s so warm and rich. I love how it feels on my tongue and the fact that it warms me from the inside out. And there are so many options: chicken, pea, chowder… some have cream while others are just a soothing vegetable-filled broth. Seriously, I just can’t get enough, especially during the winter months. While I love a good vegetable soup or creamy chowder, one of my favorites is the classic chicken & dumplings. Those hearty dumplings are amazing! Full of flavor (and flour) they’re filling all on their own. But soak them in a veggie-filled chicken broth and you have a hearty meal any night of the week.
Okay, now that I’ve gushed about Chicken & Dumplings, I have a confession to make: I’ve only recently discovered the amazingness that is this dish. Sure, I’ve heard about the entreé for years, but I’d never made the delicacy. I mean, I’ve made chicken soup millions of times. As a Jew, chicken soup is part of almost every holiday meal from Rosh Hashana to Passover. And while I can whip up a pot of chicken soup without thinking twice, I never took the extra steps to make dumplings. They always intimidated me. I mean, how in the world do you make biscuits that will cook through just by simmering them in the broth? I just didn’t buy it. But then I figured any recipe that’s been around since the late 1800’s has to have some merit. So, I took a deep breath and dove in.
While it’s true I could’ve gone the traditional route and just made a basic chicken and dumpling recipe, when have you ever known me to be traditional… unless it comes to cocktails. I had a few hatch chiles in the freezer, and since my family loves Mexican anything, I figured I’d spice things up… literally and figuratively. While the recipe started out the same with chicken, carrots, potatoes and celery, I added a few extra ingredients to give it a Southwestern feel. I chopped up a those roasted chiles for a little extra heat, added a cup of corn kernels and used corn meal in my biscuits. The end result was delicious and had a definite Tex-Mex feel. It was soooo good and sooo easy, I don’t know why it took me so long to make it; and now, I can’t wait for another chilly night so I can make it again. So, I guess the moral of the story is, even if it intimidates you, give it a shot. Worst case you end up with something you don’t like and won’t ever make again. Best case, you have a recipe to add to your repertoire.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1/2 cup butter, divided
- 2 hatch chiles, minced
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, minced
- 1-2/3 cup flour, divided
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, divided
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large pot with 4 cups of water and 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, shred into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- While the chicken cools, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in another pot over medium heat. Saute the chiles for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes and thyme and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of flour over the vegetables and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Once all the broth is in the pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for another 2 minutes until thick. Stir in the shredded chicken, corn and 1/4 cup cilantro. Season with remaining salt and pepper and continue to simmer.
- While the soup cooks, whisk together the remaining flour, corn meal, 1 teaspoon of salt, baking powder and the remaining cilantro. Cut in the remaining butter until you have small, pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the milk until the dough comes together.
- Drop 8 heaping spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering chicken mixture. Cover and continue to simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 - 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
