Chicken and dumplings

Obviously we are fully immersed in cozy cooking season because let’s face it, we all need this kind of food sometimes. Cozy cooking is when you spend a little extra time creating something wonderful that warms up your home along the way. It’s not always weeknight-friendly, but not every meal needs to be.

I set out to make Chicken and Dumplings because I was in the mood to make something that would take a chunk of time so I could relax, and also wanted it to warm our bellies. I think I landed on this dish because this time of year has me feeling especially nostalgic, and Chicken and Dumplings remind me of John’s grandpa. He generally never ate the food I would cook and bring to family gatherings even though I tried really hard — it just wasn’t his style of preferred food. So finally, I asked what I could make that he would eat, and he answered Chicken and Dumplings. To be honest, I forget which recipe or rendition I made for him, but he did pretend to like it even though he wasn’t sure why carrots were present.

For whatever reason, I felt compelled to make this again, but this time I picked an even better recipe.

Alison Roman’s Chicken and Dumplings via NYT Cooking

I like this rendition because it’s appropriately fussy. And by that, I mean all the extra things you do along the way make a big difference in flavor and it’s fully homemade. I followed her instructions exactly and I’d encourage you to do the same the first time — I didn’t even half this recipe!

You start by browning the chicken thighs deeply, then you end up making your own stock with the chicken and some veggies, and it cooks down for a bit. From here, you strain the stock and make a roux in the pan, then add everything back in — this time, with fresh veggies and shredded chicken. While this cooks, you make the dumplings with buttermilk as the main dairy and drop then right in. The end result is so hearty and exciting and warms you right up.