Chicken and dumplings

I spent Saturday afternoon sledding with my family. Afternoons like that remind me that winter isn't that bad.

Dinners like last night - chicken and dumplings – are another reason why I love winter.

I've never made chicken and dumplings before, but the The Pioneer Woman recipe made it seem so easy.

If you haven't checked out The Pioneer Woman blog, you must. Right now. Every recipe I've made of hers is so good. She uses lots of photos, too. I love knowing if what I'm cooking looks like what it is supposed to.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 whole Chicken, cut into pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1 whole medium onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• salt as needed
• Dumplings:
• 1 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 1/2 cup Half-and-half

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.

In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine