Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes 4 servings

Stew

2 pounds chicken parts, skinned

¹/₄ teaspoon salt, divided

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 ribs celery, sliced

3 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¹/₂ cup fat-free sour cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour

1¹/₂ teaspoons baking powder

¹/₂ cup buttermilk

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1. To make the stew: Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle with ¹/₈ teaspoon salt. Coat lightly on all sides with cooking spray.

2. Place the chicken in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden on all sides. Remove to a plate.

3. Coat the bottom of the pot with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to soften. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme, the remaining 1⁄8 teaspoon salt, and the reserved chicken. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently (see note) for 10 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and flour. Whisk until smooth. Stir into the chicken mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened.

5.To make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir in the buttermilk and egg white until just mixed. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

6. Drop the batter in dollops onto the simmering chicken mixture. Cover the pot and cook at a gentle simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers 170°F and the juices run clear.

7. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.

Note: It is important to keep the temperature of the stew at a very gentle simmer. Otherwise, the sour cream will separate when it’s added. If it does happen to separate, keep stirring vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes, and the sauce will come back together. Add the dumplings and continue with the recipe.

Per serving: 461 calories, 54 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 3 g fiber, 962 mg sodium