“Our revision of creamy chicken and dumplings uses whole-wheat flour for the dumplings and adds lots of vegetables to the filling. The delicious, satisfying results are packed with beneficial nutrients and dietary fiber and because we don’t use canned soup for the sauce, sodium levels are drastically reduced. To go even lighter, try the recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.”
Ingredients:
1 3/4 lbs bonelss, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
2/3 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c frozen peas, thawed
Dumplings:
1 c whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c non-fat buttermilk*
Preparation:
1. Toss chicken with 2/3 c all-purpose flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 – 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pot. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, 1 tbsp poultry seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 – 7 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in broth, water, peas and the reserved chicken. Bring to a simmer, stirring often.
3. To prepare dumplings: Meanwhile, stir whole-wheat flour, 1/2 c all-purpose flour, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Drop the dough, 1 tbsp at a time, over the simmering chicken stew, making about 18 dumplings. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the dumplings are puffed, the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
*Tips:
No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to the package directions or make “sour milk” by mixing 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to 1 c milk.