Chicken and Gnocchi “Dumplings”

This is the classic “chicken and dumplings” dish reinvented. My recipe calls for roast chicken with crispy skin served with gnocchi and creamy reduced chicken broth for some upscale comfort food.

📝 Ingredients

• 4 whole bone-in, skin on chicken legs
• Kosher salt, (as needed)
• Freshly ground black pepper, (as needed )
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ( cut into slices )
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium carrot, (chopped)
• 1 celery stalk, (chopped)
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Kosher salt, (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper, (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup shelled English peas
• 1/2 cup shelled fava beans
• 1 pound store-bought gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- For the chicken: ---
2. 2Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
3. 3Use your fingers to separate the chicken skin from the meat. Slide the slices of butter under the skin. Season with salt and pepper then arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. 4Roast until the skin is crispy and the meat has cooked through entirely, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
5. 5Reserve any chicken fat that has rendered in the pan and set aside.
6. 6--- For the sauce: ---
7. 7In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the carrot, celery and onion and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and stir to combine.
8. 8Let the roux cook for about a minute then add the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil and let simmer until the mixture thickens until it coats the back of a spoon, about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. 9Season with salt and pepper to taste then remove from heat. Strain the mixture into a medium-mixing bowl using a fine mesh strainer and discard the vegetables.
10. 10Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the peas and fava beans and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
11. 11--- For assembly: ---
12. 12Bring a large pot of water to the boil; add salt and bring back to a boil. Pour the gnocchi into the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi floats to the top of the pot, about 2 minutes.
13. 13Drain and return the gnocchi to the pot. Toss the gnocchi in the chicken stock mixture then add the peas and fava beans and stir to combine.
14. 14Divide the gnocchi among plates and top with the roast chicken and parsley. Drizzle a bit of the reserved chicken fat over the top. Serve immediately.