Easy, inexpensive, and delicious are three appropriate words to describe this hearty dish that I found on the BettyCrocker.com website. “Chicken Stew with Classic Dumplings” is the perfect late winter meal when food preparation time is short and economy is a high priority. This dish required only about an hour to prepare and the cost was minimal, especially since I already had most of the ingredients on hand. The only ingredients I needed to purchase were celery and an additional can of chicken broth. And, since the recipe was enough for more than two meals at my house, it was cheap eating (but it certainly didn’t taste that way).
Ingredients List:
For the Chicken Stew:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 medium stalks celery, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used chicken breasts.)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
For the Dumplings:
- 1½ cups self-rising flour
- ¼ cup shortening
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup chicken broth
Directions:
For the Chicken Stew:
- In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender.
- Stir in the chicken, pepper, and 6 cups of chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; then simmer for 15 minutes.
For the Dumplings:
- While the stew is simmering, place the flour in medium bowl. Cut in the shortening, using a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the parsley.
- Add ½ cup of chicken broth and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto chicken or vegetables in the simmering stew. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings are firm.
