When it comes to comforting “bowl” foods, people tend to fall into one of three camps: team soup, team stew, or team chili. Well, I’d like to present you with a fourth option, which is where I fall: team chicken and dumplings, a dish that straddles the line between soup and stew. A bubbling pot of chicken and dumplings is made of hearty bites of chicken, mirepoix vegetables, and rich broth, all blanketed with light and fluffy dumplings. It’s the real comfort food star of the cold-weather season.

Why you’ll love it

A few cooking tips

Storage and make-ahead tips

Chicken and Dumplings

Serves 6

For the chicken stew:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 medium)

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more for serving

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium stalks celery, diced (about 3/4 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 (32-ounce) box low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (from about 8 sprigs), plus more for garnish

For the dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup cold heavy cream

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Make the chicken stew:

1. Pat 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear on until golden-brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. The chicken will not be cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces.

3. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced large yellow onion, 3 peeled and diced medium carrots, 2 diced medium celery stalks, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Stir in 1 (32-ounce) box low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings.

Make the dumplings:

1. Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in 1 cup cold heavy cream and 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter just until a shaggy dough forms.

To finish:

1. When the stew is ready, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.

2. Drop 1/4-cup portions of the dough evenly onto the surface of the stew. Cover and cook for 17 minutes. Check the dumplings for doneness: They are ready when they are about quadrupled in size and no longer raw and doughy in the center. If not fully cooked, cover and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve garnished with more chopped parsley and black pepper.

Recipe notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

(Kelli Foster is a culinary producer and Patty Catalano is a food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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