Name: Waste-Nothing Chicken & Dumpling Stew Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 cooked whole chicken (around 2kg), with around 500g meat leftover, plus any fat from the roasting tray reserved; 2 onions, finely chopped, skins reserved; 2 tsp black peppercorns; 3 carrots, finely sliced; 1 parsnip, finely sliced; 4 celery sticks, finely sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 3 tbsp plain flour; 4 bay leaves; 10g thyme sprigs, leaves picked (divided into halves); 225g self-raising flour; 100g unsalted butter, cubed; 60-75ml milk; ½ tsp fine sea salt

Ingredients

1 cooked whole chicken (around 2kg), with around 500g meat leftover, plus any fat from the roasting tray reserved

2 onions, finely chopped, skins reserved

2 tsp black peppercorns

3 carrots, finely sliced

1 parsnip, finely sliced

4 celery sticks, finely sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tbsp plain flour

4 bay leaves

10g thyme sprigs, leaves picked

225g self-raising flour

100g unsalted butter, cubed

60-75ml milk

Instructions

Step 1: Shred any leftover meat from the cooked chicken and set aside. Place the chicken carcass, reserved onion skins, and black peppercorns into a deep saucepan. Add the trimmed ends of the onions, carrots, parsnip, and celery if available. Season with a pinch of salt and pour in enough cold water to cover the carcass, about 1.5 litres. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then gently simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, skimming off any scum that forms.

Step 2: Use a potato masher to break up the carcass in the pot to release more flavor. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing down on the bones to extract maximum liquid. Discard the solid parts. You should have roughly 1 litre of stock.

Step 3: In a flameproof casserole dish, melt the reserved fat and juices from the roasted chicken over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, parsnip, celery, and garlic. Fry partially covered over low heat for 8–10 minutes until softened.

Step 4: Stir in the plain flour, bay leaves, and half of the thyme leaves. Cook for 2 minutes, then gradually add the prepared stock and shredded chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season to taste.

Step 5: In a bowl, combine the self-raising flour, cubed butter, remaining thyme leaves, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in 60ml milk and stir with a knife until it just clumps together into a soft dough. Add a little more milk if necessary.

Step 6: Bring the dough together with your hands and divide into 12 equal balls. Dot the dumplings evenly over the stew. Cover the casserole with a lid, increase the heat to medium, and cook for 25–30 minutes until the dumplings have risen, are fluffy, and cooked through.

Tips & Variations

If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can substitute plain flour plus 2 teaspoons baking powder.

Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the stock can brighten the flavors.

For extra richness, stir in a splash of cream just before adding dumplings.

Feel free to swap or add vegetables based on what you have available, such as leeks or peas.

FAQs

Can I make the stock in advance?

Yes, you can prepare the stock up to 2 days ahead and keep it refrigerated. This can help save time when assembling the stew later.

Can I freeze this chicken and dumpling stew?

It’s best to freeze the stew without the dumplings, as they can become soggy when thawed. Prepare and freeze the stew base, then add fresh dumplings when reheating.