Chicken casserole with dumplings

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Mother's Day and invited my in-laws over for lunch but as our cooker was on the blink, I decided to use the Crockpot to cook the meal.

I chose to do a chicken casserole with dumplings.

Ingredients

7 chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
350g (12oz) unsmoked bacon cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm (1in) slices diagonally
700ml (1 1/4 pints) chicken or vegetable stock
few sprigs of lemon thyme
Optional - 2 tbsp Harvey Bristol cream sherry or any sherry you may have available

For the herb dumplings
350g (12oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
300ml (1/2 pint) buttermilk or soured milk
2 tbsp finely chopped mixed herbs (parsley, lemon thyme rosemary, tarragon or chives)
Optional - 25g (1oz) cheddar cheese, finely grated
5cm (2in) scone cutter or a glass

Method
1.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper
2.  Fry the bacon in a non-stick frying pan until crispy and then remove the bacon from the pan and place on some kitchen paper
3. Add the chicken to the pan and sear it until golden and place in a separate dish
4. Add the carrots and onion and fry until the onion is soft and the carrots are soft
5. Turn the Crockpot or generic slower cooker on to a low heat and place the bacon, onion, carrots first into the slow cooker
6. Place the chicken in the slower cooker
7. Pour the chicken or vegetable stock into the pot
8. Pour the Harvey Bristol cream sherry into the pot
9. Season with salt, pepper, lemon thyme
10. Cover with lid on the warm setting over night
11. In the morning turn the temperature up to low


If you were to cook this in the oven:-
1. Preheat the over at 180 degrees centigrade (gas mark 4)
2. Return the bacon and chicken to the pan together with the onion and carrots
3. Add the stock, lemon thyme, salt, pepper and Harvey Bristol cream sherry
4. Bring to the boil slowly
5. Transfer it to a casserole dish with a lid and then bake for 20 minutes

I am not going to lie, I did not have the time to make fresh dumplings and cheated by using frozen dumplings.  I placed the dumplings into the Crockpot 40 minutes before serving the chicken casserole - it was sufficient time for them expand and become moist.

If I had the time to make them, I would have prepared them as follows:-
1. Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt in a large bowl
2. Add the herbs, mix and then make a well in the centre
3. Pour most of the buttermilk or soured milk (leaving about 50ml (2fl oz in the measuring jug) 
4. Using your one hand with your fingers outstretched bringing the flour and liquid together, adding some buttermilk or soured milk if necessary
5. Don't knead the mixture as it needs to be soft, not sticky nor too wet
6. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and place the dough on the flour
7. Mix the dough into the flour until is round
8. Use a rolling pin and roll out the dough until it is about 2cm (1/2in) thick
9. Use a scone cutter or a glass to cut out 10 - 12 dumplings or divide the dough into 10-12 pieces
10. Roll each one into a small ball
11. Remove the casserole from the oven (use oven mittens) and increase the oven temperature to 230 degrees centigrade (gas mark 8)
12. Place the dumplings on top of the casserole leaving a gap for them to spread
13. Scatter the cheese over them
14. Return to the oven for 10 minutes
15. Reduce the temperature to 200 degrees centigrade (gas mark 6) and cook for a further 20 minutes until the dumplings are crispy and the chicken is cooked through

I severed the chicken casserole with dumplings on a bed of lemon thyme mash and some petit pois - enjoy!!