TexMex Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken & Dumplings. What better example of good old down-home, country-style cooking is there? My husband loves them! I’ve made the dish for him a few times, but was very excited to come across this adaptation of that classic comfort food. I’ve already confessed our weakness for spicy food. The Chicken & Dumplings I’ve had in the past have been very tasty, but I must say, they never had any kick to them at all and for all their “stick to your ribs”-ness, they were often quite bland. So, I was so happy to find that the good folks from the Lone Star State have really made quite an improvement to an already delicious dish by adding some chorizo sausage, cumin and cilantro into the mix. And oh no, they didn’t stop there, they went on to top it off with some big, fluffy, jalapeño, cilantro and cheddar cheese filled dumplings.

Mercy! Have I gone to heaven?!! The stew part of the dish definitely had overcome the somewhat boring flavours found with its Northern cousins. It delightfully had some heat to it.  And those dumplings….Oh, those Dumplings. They were simply out of this world! No floury, doughy, bland dumplings here. These fellows could really wake you up all on their own. This hearty TexMex Chicken & Dumpling dish is the best my husband and I have ever eaten! No contest whatsoever! Want something spicy to really warm you heart and soul on a cold winter’s evening? Look no further. Enjoy a bowl tonight!

TexMex Chicken & Dumplings

slightly adapted from: Today’s Nest

serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. chorizo sausage, 1-2 links
• 2 1/2 lbs. chicken, I used boneless chicken breasts
• 2 Cups water
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 medium onion – diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cup diced celery, 2-3 ribs
• 1 cup sliced carrots, 3-4 medium-sized
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornmeal

For the Dumplings:

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 beaten egg
• milk enough to make up 2/3 cup liquid with the beaten egg
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons diced jarred jalapeño peppers

Directions:

Put Chicken stock and water in large pot over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer.

Cook chorizo sausage in dutch oven over medium heat. Remove sausage from pan and set aside.

Place chicken breasts in pan with chicken stock for 20 minutes to poach.

Remove chicken breasts from pan and set aside to cool to touch. Once chicken and sausage have cooled, chop into 1″ pieces.

Bring sausage drippings in pan up to medium heat again and add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add salt, pepper and cumin. Stir well.

Sprinkle all-purpose flour over vegetables and stir to coat. Slowly  add chicken stock, stirring until flour is combined. Add remaining chicken stock to pan.

Add in the chopped chicken breast and chorizo sausage. Stir. Add chopped cilantro. Stir again. Keep mixture at low simmer. If stew does not seem thick enough to you, place 2 tablespoons cornmeal into small bowl. Add some of the broth from the stew to the cornmeal until it is a pourable consistency. Add cornmeal mixture back to stew and stir to combine. Continue to simmer the stew and it should thicken after 4 minutes or so.

Make dumplings by sifting together cake flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in the chopped cilantro and shredded cheddar cheese.

Place egg in measuring cup. Beat egg. Add milk until total liquid measures 2/3 cup. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture. Stir until just moistened. Add melted butter and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped jalapeño pepper.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop  scoops of dough onto the top of the simmering stew. Leave room between the dumplings for expansion!

Place lid on pot and continue to cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. (This was really hard for me…I soooo wanted to peek!)

At 15 minutes, remove lid and check for doneness.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!