Ease of Preparation: Medium
Time of Preparation: 1.5 hours
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
Soup:
- 1 whole fryer chicken (2-pound/907 g), broken down into 8 pieces (including carcass)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 quarts (4 L) water
- 1 small bunch parsley (stems and leaves separated)
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) butter
- 2 onions, diced
- 4 carrots, peeled and diced
- 6 stalks celery, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoons (90 ml) flour
Dumplings:
- 1 ½ cups (350 ml) cake flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) melted butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
To Finish:
- Soup
- Dumplings
- Reserved parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) peas (frozen or fresh, optional)
- Salt and pepper
Method:
For the Soup:
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and sear until well browned and rendered. Remove chicken and drain off the oil.
Combine the water, browned chicken, parsley, thyme and simmer for 1 hour, until the chicken starts to separate from the bones.
Use a wire strainer to remove the chicken and other solids to a tray to cool. Shred the chicken meat, discard the aromatics and the bones, cartilage, etc.
Strain the broth and reserve. Wipe out the Dutch oven and return to the heat.
Melt the butter, then add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Sweat the veggies for 4-5 minutes until starting to soften.
Sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat.
Add the reserved broth, slowly at first, stirring into the veggies allowing the flour to bind the soup and thicken it slightly.
When all the broth has been added, bring the soup to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Add the shredded chicken to the soup and leave uncovered over medium-low heat while preparing the dumplings, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
For the Dumplings:
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Add the melted butter and stir once, then add the egg and buttermilk and stir until just uniform (not gluey).
Rest the batter for 10 minutes to relax before forming the dumplings into the soup.
To Finish:
Use 2 spoons to make free-form dumplings, 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) across, laying them directly into the soup with a little space between them. Do not stir.
Cover and simmer/steam, without disturbing, for 10-12 minutes, until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked.
Add the peas (if using) and stir once, then increase the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the peas are just cooked.
Adjust seasonings and serve immediately, ladling the soup into serving bowls gently to keep the dumplings intact.
Garnish with the reserved chopped parsley and serve immediately.