Chicken Arrabbiata Stew and Parmesan Dumplings
Delicious...the dumplings are beautifully moist and full of flavour as is the stew.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs halved
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1 to 1.5 tsp chilli flakes
- 4 tbsp red pesto
- 250ml chicken stock
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 5 thyme sprigs tied
- 2 tsp sugar
- 0.5 small bunch of parsley finely chopped, or 0.5 tsp dried parsley
For the dumplings:
- 80g cold unsalted butter cubed
- 150g self-raising flour
- 0.5 tsp fine salt
- 80g parmesan grated
- 50 to 60ml milk
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole dish. Fry the onion over a low to medium heat for 7 minutes or until soft and turning translucent. Turn up the heat slightly, add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes until beginning to brown around the edges. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. Add the garlic and chilli into the casserole and fry for 1 minute. Stir through the pesto, pour in the stock and tomatoes, then add the thyme, sugar and some seasoning. Stir well to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken back in and turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 40 minutes. Remove the thyme and check the seasoning.
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the dumplings, put the butter and flour in a bowl with 0.5 tsp fine salt, then rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in 50g of the cheese and pour in 50ml of the milk, then swiftly combine with a cutlery knife until everything is well distributed and you have a soft dough (add more milk if it’s too dry). Briefly bring the dough together on a worksurface, then divide into 8 balls.
- Arrange the dumplings over the stew, then scatter each with the remaining cheese and dried parsley (if using). Put in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the dumplings are doubled in size and golden brown. Scatter over the fresh parsley (if using) and serve with your choice of green veg and maybe some crusty bread!
Notes
- An alternative suggestion would be to serve the stew with pasta of your choice, without making the dumplings.
- The recipe is easily halved to serve 2 to 3 people.