Chicken Stew with Chive and Cheddar Dumplings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
• 30g butter
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 celery sticks, chopped
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 3–4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml chicken stock
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings:

• 150g self raising flour
• 60g cold butter
• Good pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp snipped chives
• 100ml buttermilk (or use milk or natural yoghurt)
• 50g grated cheddar

METHOD

1. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan or using the sauté function of your slow cooker. Add the chicken and brown all over, then set aside. Add the butter to the pan and allow to melt, then add the onion, celery and carrot and sweat slowly for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme.
2. Stir in the plain flour then add stock and bubble for a minute or two before pouring this over the chicken in the slow cooker. Season well.
3. Cook on low for 5 hours. (Alternatively you can cook this in a casserole dish and simmer over a low heat for 1 & 1⁄2 hours, or in an oven preheated to 160°C/140°C fan/320°C/gas mark 3 for 1 & 1⁄2 hours.)
4. About 1 hour before the end of the cooking time, make the dumplings. Rub the butter and flour together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs then add the salt, chives, buttermilk and cheese and combine to form a soft dough.
5. Increase the temperature of your slow cooker to high.
6. Roll the dough into walnut-sized pieces and dot all over the surface of the stew. Recover with the lid and cook on high for a further hour.
7. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.