Pesto Chicken Stew With Cheesy Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Brown the chicken until golden on all sides - you might have to do this in batches - remove the chicken from the pan as you go and set aside.
• Add the lardons to the pan and sizzle for a few mins, then add the onion, celery and leeks, and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the flour, season and cook for a further 2 mins.
• Gradually stir in the wine and allow it to bubble away, then stir in the stock. Return the chicken to the pan with the bay leaves and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hrs or until the chicken is tender. The stew can now be cooled and frozen if you're making ahead. Just defrost thoroughly, then gently warm through back in the pan before continuing.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Add the peas, sundried tomatoes, pesto and basil to the stew. To make the dumplings, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the grated cheese and add 150ml water, mixing with a cutlery knife to bring the crumbs together to form a light and sticky dough. Break off walnut-sized lumps and shape into small balls. Roll the tops of the dumplings in the pine nuts so a few stick to the outside, then place the dumplings on top of the stew and scatter with any remaining nuts. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25 mins until the dumplings are golden brown and cooked through. Serve with mashed potato and extra veg if you like.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole dish. Fry the onion over a low-medium heat for 7 mins or until soft and turning translucent. Turn up the heat slightly, add the chicken and fry for 5 mins until beginning to brown around the edges. Tip the garlic and chilli into the casserole and fry for 1 min. Stir through the pesto, pour in the stock and tomatoes, then add the thyme, sugar and some seasoning. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 40 mins. Remove the thyme and check the seasoning.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the dumplings, put the butter and flour in a bowl with ½ tsp fine salt, then rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in 50g of the cheese and pour in 50ml of the milk, then swiftly combine with a cutlery knife until everything is well distributed and you have a soft dough (add more milk if it's too dry). Briefly bring the dough together on a worksurface, then divide into eight balls.
• Arrange the dumplings over the stew, then scatter each with the remaining cheese. Put in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 mins or until the dumplings are doubled in size and golden brown. Scatter over the parsely and serve.

Steps:

• De-bone chicken and cut into chunks or shred. Set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir onion and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour and whisk continuously to make a thick roux, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking to remove any lumps. Add 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, basil, thyme, potatoes, and mixed vegetable. Cover and cook the stew over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in chicken meat and continue to simmer.
• Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in 3 tablespoons butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and dill. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough into the simmering stew. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover and cook until the dumplings are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Steps:

• In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in chicken, pepper and 6 cups broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place flour in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in parsley. Add 1/2 cup broth; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto chicken or vegetables in simmering stew. Cover; cook over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are firm.