Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

Stew:
1 4-pound whole chicken
3 quarts water
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 garlic cloves, peeled
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
¼ cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Dumplings:
¾ cup 1% low-fat milk
1 large egg
1½ cups all-purpose flour (about 6¾ ounces)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt

Remaining Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. To prepare stew, remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; place chicken in an 8-quart stockpot. Add 3 quarts water and next 8 ingredients; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes; skim surface occasionally, discarding solids. Remove chicken from pot; cool. Strain stock through sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Remove chicken meat from bones; tear chicken meat into 2-inch pieces, and store in refrigerator. Let stock cool to room temperature.

2. Pour stock into 2 zip-top plastic bags. Let stand 15 minutes. Working with one bag at a time, snip off 1 bottom corner of bag; drain liquid into stockpot, stopping before fat layer reaches opening. Discard fat. Repeat procedure with remaining bag. Bring stock to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 8 cups (about 15 minutes).

3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Lightly spoon ¼ cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour to pan; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Combine browned flour and cornstarch in a large bowl; add ⅔ cup stock to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture to remaining stock in pan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Reduce heat; stir in cream. Add chicken; keep warm over low heat.

4. To prepare dumplings, combine milk and egg in a medium bowl. Lightly spoon 1½ cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, cornmeal, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add flour mixture to milk mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened.

5. Drop one-third of dumpling batter by 8 heaping teaspoonfuls onto chicken mixture. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until dumplings are done (do not allow chicken mixture to boil). Remove dumplings with a slotted spoon; place in a large serving bowl or on a deep serving platter. Keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining dumpling batter.

6. Remove pan from heat; slowly pour stew over dumplings. Sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 6
Serving size: 1⅓ cups stew and 4 dumplings

Per serving
Calories: 334 (21% from fat)
Total Fat: 7.9 g
Sat: 3.2 g
Mono: 2.4 g
Poly: 1.2 g
Protein: 31.4 g
Carb: 32.2 g
Fiber: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 130 mg
Iron: 3.3 mg
Sodium: 755 mg
Calcium: 211 mg