Apple Cider Chicken and Dumplings

For the Chicken and Broth

* 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 8 chicken thighs, skin removed)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 3 ribs celery, chopped
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
* salt to taste
* pepper to taste
* 3 & 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 3 cups chicken broth
* 1 cup apple cider (or apple juice for substitute)

For the Dumplings

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon cold butter
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2/3 cup milk

Assembly

In a Dutch oven (or large, deep, non-stick skillet), brown chicken in olive oil and butter; remove and set aside. In the same pan, combine the onion, celery, parsley, salt and pepper; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with flour and mix well. Add broth and cider. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken to Dutch oven (or if you’ve been cooking in a deep skillet, add the chicken to an over-sized, oblong, greased baking dish and cover thoroughly with the cooked, broth mixture), cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes.

Increase heat to 425 degrees F. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Combine the egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Remove Dutch oven (or baking dish) from oven; drop batter into approximately 12 mounds onto hot broth (mounds should be about the size of your cupped palm). Let the mounds rest where dropped, you do not have to push them down into the broth. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Cover and bake approximately 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean.