What You Need:
For The Chicken Soup
2 to 3 lbs of chicken drum sticks and chicken thighs ( I get one pack of drumsticks and one pack of just chicken thighs. As long as the weight combined is 2 to 3 pounds)
1/2 cup of chopped carrots
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 cup of apple cider or apple juice
6 cups of chicken broth
1 medium onion finely chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of thyme
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 cup of half and half
Salt and pepper for additional seasoning
For The Dumplings
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of corn meal
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 1/2 cups of half and half
A handful of chopped fresh parsley
Steps:
1. Chop up all your veggies (onion, celery, carrots) and place in a bowl. Combine your spices and place in a separate small bowl.
2. Heat up a large skillet on medium high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Brown both sides of the drumsticks. Remove from skillet and place on a sheet pan lined with foil. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear both sides of the chicken thighs. Then place on the sheet pan with drumsticks.
3. In the same skillet sauté the veggies until softened. Add the spices to the veggies and mix well.
4. Heat up a large pot on medium high heat and add the chicken broth and apple cider. Add the veggies along with the remaining oils from the skillet to the pot. Next add all the browned chicken. Reduce heat to low once it begins to boil. Cover lid loosely and cook chicken for 25 mins. (ensure it’s on a simmer, not a full blown boil)
5. At the 15 minute mark add the oregano and begin to season with salt and pepper. Tasting the broth until desired flavor.
6. While the chicken is simmering combine all the ingredients for the dumplings in medium bowl and mix well. Set aside.
7. The chicken should be done by now. You will know the chicken is complete when the meat pulls easily off the bones (again, simmer close to 20 to 25 mins) Remove chicken from the pot and begin to shred the chicken, discarding the bones.
8. Add the 1/2 cup of half and half to the pot and then add the chicken. Keeping the pot on a very low simmer. Begin to add tablespoon size dollops of dumpling mixture. Until the surface is covered in floating dumplings.
9. Lightly place cover on pot and simmer for 15 mins. Checking periodically and probing to check if the dumplings are fully cooked.
10. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
The Wild Gems 