Pick me up chicken & Dumplings

Yield: 6 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40–45 minutes

Ingredients

For the stew:

· 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter

· 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1-inch pieces

· 1 medium yellow onion, diced

· 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

· 2 celery stalks, sliced

· 3 cloves garlic, minced

· 2–2½ tsp Pick Me Up Spice Blend

· ¼ cup all-purpose flour

· 5 cups chicken broth

· 1 cup whole milk (or more broth)

· 1 cup frozen peas

· Salt and black pepper, to taste

· 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish

For the dumplings:

· 1½ cups all-purpose flour

· 2 tsp baking powder

· ½ tsp kosher salt

· ½ tsp Pick Me Up Spice Blend

· 3 Tbsp cold butter, cubed

· ¾ cup whole milk (or buttermilk)

Note: The scratch made dough can be easily replaced with a bisquick alternative!

Instructions

1. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper, then cook 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 5–6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and Pick Me Up Spice Blend and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until fragrant: the coriander, cumin, and ginger bloom quickly.

3. Thicken. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat, cooking 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in the milk.

4. Simmer the stew. Return the chicken to the pot, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the stew has thickened slightly. Stir in the peas and taste for salt and pepper.

5. Make the dumplings. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and Pick Me Up Spice Blend in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the milk just until a soft, shaggy dough forms: don't overmix.

6. Cook the dumplings. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the simmering stew, spacing them evenly. Cover and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.

7. Serve. Garnish with parsley or thyme and serve hot.

Notes

· On the blend: The cinnamon and clove are potent, so start with 2 teaspoons in the stew and ½ teaspoon in the dumplings: enough for warmth and aroma without turning savory. The turmeric lends a gentle golden tint, and the ginger and black pepper give it that "pick me up" lift.

· Keep it gentle: Simmer, don't boil hard, once the dumplings go in: a rolling boil can break them apart.

· Don't peek: Resist lifting the lid while the dumplings steam; trapped heat is what cooks them through.

· Make ahead: The stew (without dumplings) can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; reheat to a simmer before adding the dumpling dough.

· Thicker stew: For a heartier consistency, mash a few pieces of carrot against the side of the pot, or whisk 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp cold broth and stir in before adding the dumplings.