Chicken and Dumplings: Velvety Broth with Billowy Dumplings

Instructions:

1. Season the 2 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs with salt and the 1 tsp cracked black pepper.
2. Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in the pot over medium high heat.
3. Place chicken skin side down and sear for 6 minutes until the skin is golden and releases easily from the pan. <Note: This creates the fond or brown bits that flavor the whole stew.>
4. Flip and cook for 4 minutes, then remove the chicken to a plate.
5. Toss the diced yellow onion, 3 large carrots, and 2 ribs celery into the pot.
6. Saute for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the carrots look vibrant.
7. Stir in the 3 cloves garlic and 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves for 1 minute until the kitchen smells like a herb garden.
8. Pour in 6 cups high-quality chicken stock and 1 cup water, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all that flavor.
9. Return the chicken to the pot with the bay leaf and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and pulling away from the bone.
10. Whisk 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a bowl.
11. Fold in the 6 tbsp frozen grated butter with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
12. Gently stir in the 1 cup cold buttermilk until a shaggy, wet dough forms. <Note: Do not overmix or your dumplings will turn into hockey pucks.>
13. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred the meat (discard bones/skin), and return the meat to the broth.
14. Use two spoons to drop golf ball-sized mounds of dough into the simmering liquid.
15. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 15 minutes until the dumplings have doubled in size and look matte on top.
16. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp fresh parsley and serve immediately.