How to Make the Ultimate Chicken and Dumplings

For the Chicken Broth: Using a sharp knife, cut chicken breasts from breastbone and detach legs (drumstick with leg attached) from carcass. In a 7-quart pot or Dutch oven, combine the detached chicken breasts, legs, chicken carcass, celery, carrots, black peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook uncovered until chicken breasts register 160℉ (71ºC) with a digital thermometer, about 35 minutes, skimming any scum that rises to the surface.

Using tongs, remove chicken breasts and transfer to a cutting board. Continue simmering the chicken legs until the thighs and drumsticks are cooked and register 175℉ (80ºC) on an instant-read thermometer, another 15 minutes. Using tongs, remove thighs and drumsticks and transfer to cutting board. Simmer broth with remaining carcass until slightly reduced and broth develops a rich flavor, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let broth cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Using tongs, remove chicken carcass and transfer to cutting board with breast and legs and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain broth into a large bowl or heat-proof container and discard solids; measure out 6 cups broth and set aside. Wipe pot clean. Cool and reserve the remaining broth for another use. (See notes.)

Using 2 large forks, shred breast, thigh, and drumstick meat, and any remaining meat from the chicken carcass into bite-size pieces. Transfer shredded meat to a bowl and discard bones and skin.

For the Soup: In now-empty pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, add onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are evenly coated and flour begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in the chicken stock, evaporated milk, salt, and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer while preparing the dumplings.

For the Dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, pepper, and thyme. Using a flexible spatula, incorporate sour cream, butter, and milk, stirring until fully combined. (Avoid overmixing, which will result in tough dumplings.)

Stir the shredded chicken into the soup. Using 2 large spoons, work quickly to gently drop golf ball–size portions of dumpling dough into simmering soup; you should have about 15 dumplings. Some dumplings may dissolve slightly into the soup. This is OK as it will further thicken the soup. Cover and gently simmer until dumplings are fluffy, cooked through, and have doubled in size, about 10 minutes. Top with parsley and serve.