Name: Chef John's Chicken and Dumplings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Whole chicken - 1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound); Cold water - 2 ½ quarts; Carrot, cubed - 1 large; Celery, chopped - 1 stalk; Onion, chopped - 1; Fresh thyme - 3 sprigs; Bay leaf - 1; All-purpose flour, or as needed - 2 tablespoons; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste - 2 tablespoons; Cayenne pepper, or more to taste - ½ teaspoon; Creme fraiche - ½ cup; Milk - ½ cup; Chopped fresh thyme leaves - 2 teaspoons; Eggs - 2; Self-rising flour - 2 cups; Thyme, for garnish - 4 sprigs

Ingredients for - Chef John's Chicken and Dumplings

1. Whole chicken 1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound)

2. Cold water 2 ½ quarts

3. Carrot, cubed 1 large

4. Celery, chopped 1 stalk

5. Onion, chopped 1

6. Fresh thyme 3 sprigs

7. Bay leaf 1

8. All-purpose flour, or as needed 2 tablespoons

9. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons

10. Cayenne pepper, or more to taste ½ teaspoon

11. Creme fraiche ½ cup

12. Milk ½ cup

13. Chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons

14. Eggs 2

15. Self-rising flour 2 cups

16. Thyme, for garnish 4 sprigs

How to cook deliciously - Chef John's Chicken and Dumplings

1 . Stage

Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water, carrot, celery, onion, 3 sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chicken from dutch oven and transfer to a bowl; set aside to cool.

2 . Stage

Increase heat and bring the stock to a simmer. Skim off any chicken fat that appears on top of the stock and reserve in a bowl. Combine 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat with flour in a small bowl; stir to make a paste, adding more flour if needed. Add the chicken fat and flour mixture to the stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

3 . Stage

Remove chicken meat from the carcass and add to the stock. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes.

4 . Stage

Whisk creme fraiche, milk, 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves, and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in self-rising flour until almost entirely incorporated; do not overmix.

5 . Stage

Scoop large dollops of dumpling mixture on top of the chicken stock. Increase heat slightly to medium-high. Cover and simmer until dumplings appear light and fluffy, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve garnish with thyme sprigs.