- 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 pounds chicken parts, such as necks and backs
- 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), rinsed
- 4 medium carrots, cut into pieces
- 3 celery stalks, cut into pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 5 stems parsley
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 ounce baby spinach, roughly chopped (1 cup)
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
1. Make chicken soup base:
In a 10- or 12-quart stockpot, heat oil over high. Add chicken parts and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides, 15 minutes.
Pour out fat. Add whole chicken, carrots, celery, onion, peppercorns, parsley, and enough cold water to cover ingredients by 1/2 inch (about 12 cups).
Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 40 minutes, skimming fat and foam and flipping chicken once.
Transfer whole chicken to rimmed baking sheet and let cool, about 10 minutes.
Pour liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a large bowl (you should have 10 cups broth). Discard vegetables and chicken parts.
Shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones (you should have 4 cups meat).
2.
In a large pot, bring broth to a simmer over medium-high. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. With a fork, stir in buttermilk and spinach to form a dough.
3.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls on top of simmering broth. Cover and cook until dumplings are cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Gently stir in chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.