Ingredients
Chicken and Gravy
- 4 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, about 1 lb.)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 Tbsp butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on each side until a deep golden color forms. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean bowl.
- Sauté the onion and garlic: In the same skillet, add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onions soften and become translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom for extra flavor.
- Add diced vegetables: Add diced carrot and celery to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Continue sautéing for about 5 minutes more until vegetables begin to soften.
- Make a roux: Stir in butter and flour, cooking while stirring until the butter melts completely and forms a paste coating the vegetables. Continue cooking the roux for about 2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Simmer the gravy: Add dried parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, black pepper, chicken broth, and milk to the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and stir continuously until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens into a creamy gravy.
- Add chicken back and simmer: Dice the browned chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Stir to combine with vegetables and gravy, cover with a lid, and let simmer over medium heat while preparing dumplings.
- Prepare dumpling batter: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, dried parsley, granulated sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pour in milk and melted butter, stirring gently just until a soft, scoopable batter forms. Avoid overmixing to keep dumplings light.
- Drop dumplings onto gravy: Remove lid from skillet and drop the dumpling batter in 2 tablespoon dollops evenly over the simmering gravy surface, creating about 12 dumplings.
- Cook dumplings: Cover skillet with lid and ensure the gravy stays at a gentle simmer. Cook dumplings for 15 minutes undisturbed until they double in size and are cooked through with a fluffy texture.
- Serve hot: Once dumplings are fully cooked, serve the Chicken and Dumplings hot for a hearty, comforting meal.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for more flavor if preferred, adjusting cooking time to ensure they are cooked through.
- Do not lift the lid while dumplings are cooking to prevent them from falling apart.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted for dried ones; increase quantity accordingly.
- Whole milk gives a rich gravy, but you can substitute with 2% milk to reduce fat content.
- This recipe can be doubled easily for more servings using a larger Dutch oven or skillet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
