Chicken Stew with Dumplings

This has a thick sauce and juicy chunks of chicken and vegetables, topped with fluffy dumplings.  It is the perfect comfort food for company or making a big batch allows for plenty of leftovers and this warms up great.  

Chicken Stew
2 1/2 cups chicken bouillon stock - Knorr 
2 lbs of chicken - thighs have the best flavour, but I use breasts mixed with the thighs
3 small carrots cleaned and cut in chunks
2 potatoes peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
1 small mild onion chopped into small pieces
1 1/2 tbsp butter
2 stalks celery chopped
1 cup button mushrooms
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup milk


Dumplings
1 cup sifted cake and pastry flour
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
2/3 cup milk approx.


In a large pot bring chicken stock to boil.  Add the chicken, cover and simmer over medium low heat till juices run clear when chicken is pierced about 30 minutes.  With a slotted spoon transfer chicken to plate and remove meat from bones (wear rubber gloves) cut chicken meat into bite size pieces.
Add carrots and potatoes to stock; cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Add chopped onions; simmer till tender about 8 minutes.  With slotted spoon transfer vegetables to plate.   Pour stock into a large measuring cup if necessary add more stock to bring it back up to 2 1/2 cups.
In same pot melt the butter over medium high heat, cook the celery and mushrooms, stir often till they are softened about 8 minutes.  Add flour, thyme, salt and pepper; cook stirring for 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in the reserved stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium low simmer and stir often for 5 minutes till sauce thickens.  Return chicken and juices to the pot, add the carrot/potato mixture, peas and milk stirring to combine.  Keep simmering while you add the dumplings.


Dumplings:
In a bowl whisk together flour, parsley, baking powder and salt.  Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter till it is coarse crumbs.  Using fork stir in enough milk to make sticky spoonable dough.  Leaving space around each one drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering stew; cover and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes.  Once this is finished you can serve from pot on table.  


Serves 4 heartily.