Chicken& Rosemary Dumplings
Submitted by Casscooker2
Chicken and rosemary dumplings made from scratch with a rosemary-steeped tea mixed into the biscuit batter. Tender poached chicken in a hearty vegetable broth topped with fluffy herb dumplings.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
50 minThe twist that sets these chicken and dumplings apart is a rosemary tea. Fresh rosemary sprigs steeped in boiling water for 30 minutes, then strained and mixed into the biscuit dough. Every dumpling is infused with piney, herbal flavor from the inside out, not just sprinkled on top.
The chicken gets poached first in a big pot of water, building a simple stock as it cooks. Once the chicken comes out to cool, the vegetables go into that same broth to simmer until tender. The chicken gets torn into rough pieces and tossed back in. Nothing wasted, every layer of flavor building on the last.
Drop the dumpling batter in small spoonfuls right into the bubbling broth. Give each one a gentle nudge with a spoon to keep them from sticking together, then cover the pot and leave it alone. Peeking lifts the steam that the dumplings need to cook through on top. Five to ten minutes covered and they’ll puff up soft, pillowy, and soaked with rosemary-scented broth on the bottom.
Kitchen Tips
- Steep the rosemary tea while the vegetables are cooking. The timing works out naturally.
- Drop small dumplings, about a scant teaspoon each. They expand significantly as they steam and big ones won’t cook through in the center.
- Don’t lift the lid during the final simmer. The trapped steam is what cooks the tops of the dumplings.
- The optional cornstarch slurry thickens the broth into more of a gravy. Use it if you prefer a thicker, stew-like consistency.
Variations
- Thyme dumplings: Steep fresh thyme instead of rosemary for a more subtle, earthy herb flavor.
- Cream broth: Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end for a richer, more Southern-style pot.
- Rotisserie shortcut: Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and boxed broth to cut the cooking time in half.
Ingredients
Directions
Add chicken to the water in a stockpot and bring to a boil; simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until tender.
Remove chicken to a plate to cool.
Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots to the stock; bring to a simmer.
Cut or tear chicken into 2 inch pieces; return it to the stock.
Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very tender.
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the stock, if you like a thick sauce.
To make dumplings and while vegetables are cooking, bring to a boil 1¼ cups water in a small pan.
Turn off the heat and add three sprigs of rosemary.
Cover; let steep for 30 minutes.
Strain the rosemary tea and mix with about 2 cups of biscuit mix, slightly more if mixture is very gooey.
Bring the chicken stock back to a low boil; drop scant teaspoons of dumpling batter into the bubbles.
Gently push each dumpling aside with a spoon to keep dumplings from clumping together.
Add two more rosemary sprigs.
Lower heat, cover, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes.
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