OP One Pan

Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings (in one pan!)

Name: Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 ¾ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; ¾ cup chopped green onions ( (about ½ bunch)); 1 cup chopped green bell pepper ( (1 medium sized pepper)); 1 ½ cups chopped celery ( (2-3 stalks)); 1 ½ cups chopped carrots ( (2-3 carrots)); 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon dried thyme, (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves); 1/4 cup all purpose flour; 3 cups low sodium chicken broth; 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes ((see note)); 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; ½ cup chopped fresh parsley; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2/3 cup all purpose flour; 1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 teaspoons finely chopped green onions, green part only; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; ½ to ¾ cup reduced-fat buttermilk

1 hr 20 mins

About this chicken and dumplings recipe

Another reason I love this recipe is that it’s made in one pan! Making your whole dinner in one pan equals easy cleanup. We all love that, right?

You’ll find the printable recipe card with complete directions and nutrition information at the end of the post. I’ll run through the recipe here and give you a few extra tips.

I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs but chicken breasts are fine, too. Cut the chicken into one inch pieces and brown them in a large Dutch oven. Remove them from the pan as they brown. They won’t be completely cooked but that’s okay because you’ll be simmering them later.

Add carrots, celery, chopped scallions, and green bell pepper to the pan and sauté until the vegetables are softening. Add chopped thyme and a fourth cup of flour, cooking and stirring for a minute. The flour will work as a thickening agent for the stew.

Pour in chicken broth and a big can of whole tomatoes. Squish them with your hands first to break them up a little. You can use diced tomatoes, if you prefer. Don’t forget to add the chicken back to the pot, too.

Simmer the stew for about a half hour or until the vegetables are tender. If the stew simmers longer than that, don’t sweat it. It will be perfectly fine. Check the seasoning and add a splash of red wine vinegar. Don’t skip the vinegar–it adds so much flavor to the stew. I find myself adding red wine vinegar to so many stews and soups. That little bit of acid just rounds out the flavor.

How to Make the Dumplings

While the stew simmers, mix up the dumplings. Add flour, cornmeal, finely chopped herbs, baking powder, a hint of sugar and salt, and butter to a bowl. Blend the butter into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter. It should resemble coarse crumbs.

Pour in buttermilk, just enough to moisten the dry ingredients, and mix everything together. When the stew is ready, drop the batter into the stew by tablespoons. Cover the pot and let the dumplings steam/cook for about twenty minutes.

Gather the crowd, supper’s ready! You won’t really need to have a side dish or salad with this meal because you’re serving chicken, vegetables, and bread, all from one pan. Fresh fruit makes a great (and healthy) dessert.

Pan of tomato sauce and chicken, with cornmeal biscuits.

FAQs

Are dumplings the same as biscuits?

Although the dough is similar, biscuits and dumplings differ in the way they’re are cooked. Biscuits are baked in the oven and dumplings are steamed in hot liquid. This gives dumplings a softer texture than biscuits.

How long do you boil dumplings?

It depends on the recipe and the size of the dumplings. In this recipe, the dumplings are simmered (not boiled) for about 20 minutes. Be sure to cover the pan while the dumplings are cooking.

Why are my dumplings gooey?

Soggy or gooey dumplings are disappointing, aren’t they? They should be soft and fluffy. Make sure the liquid is at a good simmer but not a hard boil before adding the dumplings. Always cook dumplings in a thick stew or soup so they float on top. If they are completely submerged, they absorb too much liquid or even break up into small pieces.

Make it your own

Replace boneless skinless chicken thighs with chicken breasts.
Add corn, spinach, red bell pepper, zucchini, or another vegetable of your choice.
Use a light beer, such as pilsner, instead of chicken broth.
Replace 1/3 cup of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to make multi-grain dumplings.

Make-Ahead Ideas

To get a head start on this recipe, prep and chop the vegetables and store in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance. The chicken can be prepped as well.

f you’re planning on freezing some to eat later, reserve a portion of the chicken stew to freeze. The dumplings are best if you make them right before serving. Simply thaw the chicken stew in the fridge overnight. Simmer it in a pan on the stove and add the dumplings.