Active Time

　　40 min

　　Total Time

　　1 3/4 hr

　　When our executive food editor, Zanne Stewart, was growing up, her family spent summers in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This recipe was inspired by a dish of chicken and dumplings she remembers well from those vacations.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　

For chicken

1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) chicken, quartered and backbone removed

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　1 cup chopped shallot (6 oz)

　　1/2 cup dry white wine

　　

For dumplings

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　3/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

　　3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

　　

For gravy

3 cups chicken stock or broth

　　1/4 cup heavy cream

　　2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　

Cook chicken:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°F.

　　

Step 2

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 3

Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch deep heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken well, about 8 minutes total. Arrange skin-sides up, then sprinkle with shallot. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a heatproof platter, reserving juices in skillet. Cover chicken with foil and keep warm in oven.

　　

Make dumplings:

Step 4

Sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and soda, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in 2 tablespoons chives and 1 tablespoon parsley, then add buttermilk, stirring just until dough is moistened (do not overmix).

　　

Make gravy and cook dumplings:

Step 5

Skim fat from juices in skillet. Add 2 3/4 cups stock and bring to a boil. Whisk together cream, flour, and remaining 1/4 cup stock in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk into boiling stock and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 6

Drop 8 heaping tablespoons of dough into simmering gravy, about 2 inches apart to allow dumplings to expand. Reduce heat and gently simmer dumplings, covered, until tops are dry to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.

　　

Step 7

Sprinkle chicken, dumplings, and gravy with remaining herbs.