Chicken and Sourdough Dumplings

Instructions

In The Morning

1. Mix the dumpling ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until well incorporated. Cover the bowl and let the batter ferment at room temperature for 8 hours.

At One O'clock in the Afternoon

1. Preheat your oven to 250℉.
2. Rinse and pat dry your chicken if necessary.
3. Salt and pepper the whole bird, spreading all seasonings evenly.
4. Heat an 8-quart oven-safe stainless steel, enameled, or cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the butter. Once it is melted and bubbling add the whole chicken, breast side down.
5. Brown the chicken on each side for 5 to 7 minutes (or until golden brown). If the butter is burning, turn your heat down a bit.
6. While the chicken is browning, wash and peel the carrots, wash the celery stalks, and peel the shallots.
7. Cut the shallots into slices and add them around the browning chicken. Stir them occasionally.
8. Chop the carrots and celery into 1-inch chunks.
9. Once the chicken has browned on all four sides, set it breast side up in the pan and add the other vegetables around it.
10. Sprinkle it with the dried thyme and add the water.
11. Bring the pot to a simmer before covering it and transferring it to your oven for a slow 4-hour cooking.

Preparing To Cook and Serve the Dumplings

1. Remove the chicken from the oven, uncover the pot, and let it cool for 10 minutes.
2. Using a fine mesh strainer, pour most of the broth off the chicken into a large mixing bowl.
3. Using two large spoons, gently lift the chicken from the pot onto a large dish. It is normal for the chicken to fall apart — just try to be gentle and lift out all pieces. Gently scoop out the vegetables and place them alongside the chicken or in a separate dish.
4. Strain the rest of the broth through the strainer into the bowl.
5. Add the strained broth back to the pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Taste the broth and season with more herbs, salt, and pepper if needed.
6. Using a soup spoon, drop dollops of sourdough dumpling batter into the simmering broth.
7. Cook the dumplings for 7 to 10 minutes, turning them over once during cooking.
8. While the dumplings cook in the broth, arrange your serving dishes. Large shallow bowls work well.
9. Place some vegetables in each bowl, and then pick some dark and light chicken meat and shred it into each bowl.
10. Once the dumplings are cooked, divide them equally into each bowl.
11. Ladle hot broth over the bowls and garnish them with fresh herbs (parsley, sage, or thyme) if desired.