Pesto chicken stew with cheesy dumplings

Pesto chicken stew with cheesy dumplings

A slow-cooked chicken casserole with Italian basil flavours that makes a perfect weekend one-pot

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 50 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 20 mins

Freezable

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Brown the chicken until golden on all sides - you might have to do this in batches - remove the chicken from the pan as you go and set aside.
  2. Add the lardons to the pan and sizzle for a few mins, then add the onion, celery and leeks, and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the flour, season and cook for a further 2 mins.
  3. Gradually stir in the wine and allow it to bubble away, then stir in the stock. Return the chicken to the pan with the bay leaves and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hrs or until the chicken is tender. The stew can now be cooled and frozen if you're making ahead. Just defrost thoroughly, then gently warm through back in the pan before continuing.
  4. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Add the peas, sundried tomatoes, pesto and basil to the stew. To make the dumplings, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the grated cheese and add 150ml water, mixing with a cutlery knife to bring the crumbs together to form a light and sticky dough. Break off walnut-sized lumps and shape into small balls. Roll the tops of the dumplings in the pine nuts so a few stick to the outside, then place the dumplings on top of the stew and scatter with any remaining nuts. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25 mins until the dumplings are golden brown and cooked through. Serve with mashed potato and extra veg if you like.

PER SERVING

831 kcalories, protein 50g, carbohydrate 38g, fat 52 g, saturated fat 17g, fibre 5g, sugar 5g, salt 2.7 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2012.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

  • Binder photo HaggisPowell

    10 April 2012

    HaggisPowell rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This chicken is AMAZING! We had it for an easter lunch with friends and it's perfect- I just left it cooking and forgot about it so I could concentrate on my easter nests (and glass of wine...!) Definitely recommend!

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  • Binder photo .:~carol~:.

    11 April 2012

    .:~carol~:. commented on this recipe

    I cooked this in my slow cooker using chicken breasts, next time I would leave out the sundried tomatoes as I thought that that they were horrible, I also left out the pine nuts on the dumplings and they were lovely, all together a really nice dish

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  • Binder photo .:~carol~:.

    11 April 2012

    .:~carol~:. rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I cooked this in my slow cooker using chicken breasts, next time I would leave out the sundried tomatoes as I thought that that they were horrible, I also left out the pine nuts on the dumplings and they were lovely, all together a really nice dish

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  • Binder photo cakeanyone?

    12 April 2012

    cakeanyone? rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This was a great quick meal, which the whole family liked...particularly the dumplings. Made for 4 so halved all ingredients and used chicken breasts instead of thighs which speeded up cooking. Also, used cheddar instead of parmesan. Didn't need to brown chicken, so total cooking time, after veg had been softened was the half hour in the oven. Will make again but will probably omit tomatoes, which seemed an odd addition.

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  • Binder photo Donska

    21 April 2012

    Donska rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious. Didn't bother with the tomatoes and used pancetta. Will definitely cook again.

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  • Binder photo Cookie Crumbles

    29 April 2012

    Cookie Crumbles rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    OMG - simply delicious - everyone loved it!

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  • Binder photo Peter747

    29 April 2012

    Peter747 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Really enjoyed this & will definitely do again

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  • Binder photo Julia Clothier

    01 June 2012

    Julia Clothier commented on this recipe

    I made this last week, and everyone in the family loved it! I used dry sherry instead of white wine and slightly less pesto. The parmesan dumplings were to die for! Will definitely be making this again very soon.

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  • Binder photo Julia Clothier

    07 June 2012

    Julia Clothier rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Theloopyloz

    10 June 2012

    Theloopyloz rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Libby0

    27 June 2012

    Libby0 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Very nice, I wonder if you could make the dumplings with less butter so it would be a bit healthier?

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  • Binder photo Chef Robbo

    08 July 2012

    Chef Robbo rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Turned out an ok dish, next time i would use a cheddar for the dumplings and maybe leave out the sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts and cut the cost of the dish slightly, so 3 stars from me!

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  • Binder photo ianbaxter29

    12 July 2012

    ianbaxter29 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Really tasty. 8 portions is a very generous serving, I would say its more like 12 portions, especially if you have veg with it as well.

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  • Binder photo Jessiquaquaqua

    13 July 2012

    Jessiquaquaqua rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Had this at my friend's house for dinner last night and it was amazing!! This recipe has gone straight into the binder! Re: browning the meat- don't overcrowd the pan and do it at a high-ish temperature. Can't wait to make this. We had it with mash & green beans although the dumplings were filling enough so didn't really need the mash.

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  • Binder photo Lloydee92

    08 August 2012

    Lloydee92 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This was amazingly tasty. Cooked it for my family and they all loved it. Will definitely be making it at uni.

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  • Binder photo trpengelly

    03 September 2012

    trpengelly rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely lovely. I accidentally left out the peas though!

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  • Binder photo Mark

    06 September 2012

    Mark rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Catriona_west

    08 September 2012

    Catriona_west commented on this recipe

    I substituted chicken breast for thighs as my husband is anti brown chicken meat. Cut the breasts in two on the diagonal before browning. I reduced the cooking time. I did about 10 mins on the hob and then 40 mins in the oven to ensure the chicken breast was cooked through. Put the dumplings on top with 25 mins to go. Chicken was still succulent so happy with timing. Husband said nom nom nom which is a good result. Omitted Parmesan mainly due to cost in the local shop.

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  • Binder photo My recipes

    26 September 2012

    My recipes commented on this recipe

    Thank you to those people who left comments about the ACTUAL recipe and didn't give themselves 5 stars for a recipe of their own making. Leaving ingredients out or substituting other ingredients is not the same recipe as the one written and basically those people are just giving themselves a pat on the back for their own recipe!

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  • Binder photo Jacg

    28 September 2012

    Jacg rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Love this dish! Really impressed that my effort looked like the picture. Used chicken breast instead, but otherwise stuck to the original recipe. Added to my favourites.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 50 mins

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 20 mins

Freezable

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 12-15 chicken thighs , skin removed, bone in
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons or chopped bacon
  • 1 large onion , chopped
  • 4 celery sticks, chopped
  • 3 leeks , chopped
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1l chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200g frozen peas
  • 140g sundried tomatoes
  • 140g fresh pesto
  • small bunch basil , chopped

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

  • 140g butter
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 100g Parmesan , grated
  • 50g pine nuts
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PER SERVING

831 kcalories, protein 50g, carbohydrate 38g, fat 52 g, saturated fat 17g, fibre 5g, sugar 5g, salt 2.7 g

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