Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

By MaryEllen

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 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs canola oil, divided
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• DUMPLINGS
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbs chopped parsley
• Servings: 6
• Yield: 1 1/3 cups stew & 3 dumplings each
• Cooking Times
• Preparation Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Nutrition Facts
• Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (12.8 ounces).
• Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
• Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories 291.22
• Calories From Fat (20%) 58.84
• % Daily Value
• Total Fat 6.71g 10%
• Saturated Fat 1.02g 5%
• Cholesterol 12.38mg 4%
• Sodium 942.65mg 39%
• Potassium 518.77mg 15%
• Total Carbohydrates 46.36g 15%
• Fiber 6.03g 24%
• Sugar 6.04g
• Protein 13.25g 27%
• Tips
• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Details

Preparation time 45mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Toss chicken with 2/3 cup all-purpose flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon 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 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Stir in carrots, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 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 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, celery salt, garlic, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk.

4. Drop the dough, 1 tablespoon 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.