Chicken and Dumplings

I had never had chicken and dumplings before I tried my hand at making it, and I didn't think I'd like it (someone asked me to make it).  I was worried the dumplings would turn out mushy, or that the whole soup would be too starchy, but that wasn't the case at all.  It was actually quite yummy, kind of like dipping biscuits in chicken soup.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breast, diced into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 quart chicken stock
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup baby onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh green beans, ends removed, chopped into 1 inch lengths
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Dumplings:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup milk

Directions:
In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrot, green beans and garlic and sauté until soft.  Add the flour gradually.  Reduce heat to medium and stir for 2-3 minutes or until beginning to thicken.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, then add the bay leaf, peas and thyme.

In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining butter.  Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brown the chicken in the butter.  Once the chicken pieces are browned, remove from heat.  Add the chicken to the pot of chicken stock.

Next, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients.  Mix gently until mixture just comes together.

Drop the dumpling batter into the soup by heaping teaspoonfuls.  The dumplings will grow larger as they cook.  Cover the pot to allow the dumplings to steam within the soup and cook for an additional 15 minutes or so.

Once the dumplings have cooked fully, stir in the cream and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve soup while hot, being sure to include a few dumplings in every bowl!  Enjoy!