Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Base
- 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 200 g carrots, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1000 ml unsalted chicken broth
- 120 ml dry white wine
Artichoke Dumplings
- 200 g canned artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and patted completely dry
- 120 g whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 g kosher salt
Spring Additions
- 150 g asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 3cm pieces
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 10 g fresh dill, chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 518 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1672 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 189 mg
- Potassium
- 1025 mg
- Calcium
- 294 mg
- Iron
- 4.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 100 mg
- Phosphorus
- 522 mg
- Zinc
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 532 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 27 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 72 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.33 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.70 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 64 mcg
- Water
- 532 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the thoroughly dried artichoke hearts into a food processor. Pulse briefly until finely chopped but not completely pureed into a paste.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped artichokes, ricotta cheese, beaten egg, parmesan, and kosher salt. Mix until uniform. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder over the top and gently fold the mixture together with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix. Set the batter aside.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Wash hands thoroughly and use dedicated utensils after handling the raw chicken to prevent cross-contamination. Add the chicken thighs to the pot and cook until lightly browned on the outside, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and sliced carrots to the Dutch oven alongside the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots begin to soften, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour the unsalted chicken broth into the pot and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the carrots are tender and the chicken is fully cooked, reaching a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F, about 15 minutes.
Using a spoon, gently drop tablespoon-sized portions of the artichoke dumpling batter directly onto the surface of the simmering broth. Cover the pot tightly and steam the dumplings for exactly 10 minutes. Do not remove the lid during this time.
Remove the lid and gently stir in the asparagus pieces, lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, and parsley, being careful not to break up the dumplings. Simmer for 2 more minutes until the asparagus is tender-crisp and bright green. Serve immediately in wide, shallow bowls.
Chef's Notes
- Thoroughly patting dry the canned artichoke hearts is critical. Any excess moisture will throw off the hydration level of your dumpling batter, making it prone to dissolving in the hot broth.
- Using dark meat chicken thighs ensures the protein remains incredibly tender during the simmer, whereas breast meat is highly prone to drying out or becoming chalky.
- The dumplings require trapped steam to puff up and cook through evenly. Resist any temptation to peek into the Dutch oven during their 10-minute cooking window.
- Adding the delicate spring asparagus and soft fresh herbs at the very end of cooking preserves their vibrant color and prevents their fresh flavors from becoming muddy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store dumplings separately from the broth if possible to prevent them from becoming overly saturated and losing their texture.
Freezer: 1 month — Dumplings may become slightly dense upon freezing and thawing, but the stew base freezes exceptionally well.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until simmering to avoid overcooking the tender spring vegetables.
Troubleshooting
Dumplings fell apart and dissolved into the broth.
Cause: The broth was at a rolling boil instead of a gentle simmer, or the artichokes retained too much liquid before mixing.
Fix: The dissolved dumplings cannot be reformed, but they will thicken the broth into a rich, flavorful gravy.
Prevention: Ensure artichokes are squeezed completely dry before chopping. Maintain a gentle, barely bubbling simmer when adding the dumpling batter.
Dumplings are heavy, dense, and tough.
Cause: The dumpling batter was overmixed or the lid was lifted during the steaming process, releasing the crucial heat.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Fold the flour in using a light hand just until no dry streaks remain. Keep the lid sealed tight during the full 10 minutes of steaming.
Cultural Context
Spring stews, known broadly in European traditions as ragoûts printaniers, are a hallmark of seasonal culinary transitions. They seamlessly bridge the gap between the hearty braises of deep winter and the light, vibrant produce of early spring, utilizing pillowy dumplings as a comforting textural element alongside fresh, fast-cooking greens.
