A little cooked chicken goes a long way in this stew, since fluffy suet dumplings bulk it out into a filling supper. This Hairy Bikers chicken stew and dumplings comes from their Chicken and Egg cookbook, serves 4, and packs in a whole pile of root vegetables.
Unlike a creamy pie or a tomato cobbler, this one is built on a light chicken broth loaded with swede, carrots, leeks, and cabbage. The dumplings are proper old-school suet ones, and a teaspoon of sage in the mix lifts them nicely.
The trick with the dumplings is a sticky, wet dough, since a dry mix bakes into heavy lumps. Drop them on rough and loose, then let the oven puff them up light and risen.
Hairy Bikers Chicken and Dumpling Stew
Description
Bacon and a heap of root vegetables are softened, then simmered in chicken stock with herbs before potato, leeks, cabbage, and cooked chicken go in. Sticky suet dumplings are dropped on top, then the whole pot bakes until they puff up light, risen, and golden.
Ingredients
For the stew
For the dumplings
Instructions
- Soften the veg: Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish, then fry the bacon until crisp. Add the onion, carrots, celery, swede, and turnips, then sauté for about 10 minutes until starting to soften.
- Simmer the broth: Pour in the chicken stock, add the herbs, then season and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potato, leeks, and cabbage, then simmer for a further 20 minutes.
- Add the chicken: Stir in the cooked chicken so it heats through gently. Preheat the oven to 200°C, Fan 180°C, Gas 6.
- Make the dumplings: Put the flour, baking powder, and a good pinch of salt in a bowl, then stir in the suet. Add at least 100ml cold water to make a sticky dough, then divide it into 8 or more rough pieces.
- Bake: Drop the dumplings on top of the stew, then bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. They are ready when well risen and lightly browned on top, so serve piping hot.
FAQs
What are the dumplings made of, and can I swap the suet?
Suet dumplings are the traditional choice here, made from self-raising flour, shredded suet, and cold water. You want a sticky dough rather than a firm one, so they steam and rise into soft, fluffy pillows.
If you would rather skip suet, cold grated butter works as a swap, though the texture is a touch less airy. A teaspoon of dried sage stirred into the mix gives them a lovely savoury edge.
What is the difference between chicken and dumplings and a chicken cobbler?
They are different dishes with different toppings, even though both are baked chicken one-pots. This chicken and dumplings has a light broth topped with suet dumplings, while a cobbler has a thicker filling under scone-like cobbles.
Their chicken cobbler uses a tomato base and potato cobbles, so it eats heavier and richer. For that version, try the chicken cobbler, which is a proper hearty bake.
How much chicken do I need, and can I use leftovers?
You only need about 250g of cooked chicken, so this is a brilliant way to use up a leftover roast. Shred or chop it, then stir it in near the end so it just heats through without toughening.
A shop-bought rotisserie chicken works just as well if you have no leftovers. The stew carries most of the flavour, so the chicken is really there for substance rather than richness.
What vegetables go in it?
This is a properly veg-heavy stew, with swede, carrots, celery, turnips or parsnip, potato, leeks, and cabbage all going in. That mix makes it a full meal in one pot, so you need nothing else on the side.
You can swap the roots for whatever you have in the drawer, since it is a forgiving recipe. Bacon lardons are optional, though they add a smoky depth that suits the cold-weather feel.
Can I make it ahead?
You can make the stew a day ahead, then cool it and keep it in the fridge overnight. Reheat it until piping hot, then make and bake the dumplings fresh so they stay light.
For more warming chicken dinners, the chicken noodle soup is another brothy classic. If you fancy something creamier, the chicken stroganoff and balmoral chicken both make a cosy supper.
