Cooking Magic: Chicken and Dumplings

There was magic in my kitchen, today.

Aside from the fact that I had Disney on my mind, I felt there was something special going on.

It's been a frigid weekend out here in the northeast, and logically, the heat in our apartment starts acting shotty. Pair that with this week's cooking challenge (soup), and the decision to make Chicken and Dumplings was a no-brainer.

The recipe begins with searing the chicken thighs until they are golden brown on both sides. Here and there I advise you to sneak bits of the deliciously crispy, golden brown skin. Magic! After pan frying three batches of three thighs each, the bottom of the pan starts to look very messy. How are all of those browned bits ever going to unstick from the bottom? Then comes the butter, onions, leeks and celery; the stuck bits are no more! Magic.

And the dumplings? Don't even get me started on those. Each one is a little nugget of magic.

The way this dish warms up the home, the way it warms up your heart, the way it warms up your whole inner being? All magic.


Chicken and Dumplings
by Smitten Kitchen

*The only change I made was adding three stalks of chopped celery with the leeks and the onions.

Enjoy!