Chicken with dumplings

Ingredients:

Baked chicken

• 1 whole chicken weighing 1.3 kg.
• 110 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 lemon, halved and juiced; set the halves aside
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, and rosemary
• 1 onion, cut in half
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, and parsley

Chicken broth

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 carrots, cut into large pieces
• 2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
• 1 onion, cut in half
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• Set aside chicken bones
• 2 liters of cold water
• 4 fresh sprigs of parsley
• 4 fresh sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves

dumplings

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 - 1 cup of sour milk or kefir

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 0.5 cup diced carrots
• 0.5 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper, for serving
• Chopped parsley for serving

Preparation:

1. Baked chicken

   
   Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper, inside and out.
   
2. Preheat oven to 190°C.
3. In a small bowl, combine butter, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Rub the herb butter all over the chicken, including under the skin. Place lemon halves, onion, garlic, and whole herb sprigs inside the cavity for added flavor. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken breast-side up on the roasting rack.
4. Bake for 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin, and set aside. Set the bones aside for the chicken broth.

5. Chicken broth

   
   Pour olive oil into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the reserved chicken bones, water, and herbs; simmer the broth for 1 hour. Strain the broth to remove any solids and set aside.

6. dumplings

   
   Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and milk; pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix gently. Mix just until the dough comes together; it should be thick.
   

7. Sauce

   
   Melt the butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to form a roux. Continue stirring and cooking for 2 minutes to coat. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
   
8. Simmer the sauce until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream.
9. Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Using two spoons, carefully drop the dumpling dough balls into the hot sauce. The dumplings should cover the sauce, but not touch each other or overflow the pan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until firm and plump. Sprinkle with freshly grated black pepper and finely chopped parsley. Serve.