CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

By LindaW1955

FEAST MAGAZINE

Ingredients

• For the thighs:
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
• 4 TBS bacon fat
• for the chicken broth:
• 4 c chicken stock
• 2 c water
• 1 head garlic
• 2 onions divided
• 1 bunch chives
• 1 leek
• 4 stalks celery
• 4 carrots
• 4 TBS apple cider vinegar
• S&P
• for the dumplings:
• 2/3 c AP flour
• 1/3 c yellow cornmeal
• 2 TBS melted lard
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBS finely chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 2 TBS finely chopped fresh tarragon, divided
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 limes halved
• 2 Thai chile peppers

Preparation

Step 1

1. Chicken thighs - in a large bowl combine flour, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and smoked paprika. One at a time, dredge chicken thighs in flour mixture and then set on a wire rack
2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt bacon fat. Place coated chicken thighs skin side down in fat. Fry chicken for 4" on skin side, then flip over and fry on other side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken from Dutch oven and reserve on plate.
3. Chicken broth: Deglaze Dutch oven with chicken stock and water, using a wooden spoon to break up and dissolve fond on bottom. Trim and halve garlic head and 1 onion and add to Dutch oven. Tie chives with kitchen twin before adding to broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, remove oven, garlic, chives and discard.
4. Trim and halve leek, clean under running water and slice into 1/2 sections. Clean and peel remaining onion, chop into 1" long sections and add to broth. Add chicken thighs, skin side up back to broth. Add apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30".
5. After 30" remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool, about 10". Raise heat to medium high to reduce some of broth and reduce heat to medium. Add salt and pepper and reserve.
6. Dumplings: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, melted lard, sugar, salt, baking powder, half of thyme and half of tarragon. Add buttermilk slowly, while stirring mixture until it come together yet remains wet. With a large spoon scoop out a bit of the dough and float it atop the chicken broth; repeat until dough is gone. Cover Dutch oven with lid and raise heat to medium high. Check dumplings after 7" and if not firmed up, cover again and check every minute for another 3", 10" in total.
7. Ladle broth, chicken and vegetable into a bowl. Squeeze lime juice into each bowl. Top with sliced chiles and remaining thyme and tarragon. Serve.