Best Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

1.  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2.  1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
3.  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4.  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5.  One 20-ounce package peeled and diced butternut squash
6.  4 stalks celery, finely chopped
7.  1 medium onion, finely chopped
8.  2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
9.  2 sprigs dill plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
10.  1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
11.  1 teaspoon baking soda
12.  1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut up
13.  1/4 cup lowfat (1-percent) milk
14.  1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions:

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then add it to the hot oil. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is seared on the outside but not fully cooked, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl while keeping the oil in the pan.

Step 2

Next, add the squash, celery, and onions to the pan. Sauté them until the onions turn soft, approximately 5 minutes. Pour in the broth, add the dill sprigs, and pour in 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer. Let it simmer until the squash is tender enough for a knife to easily pierce through, about 15 minutes.

Step 3

While the broth simmers, combine the flour, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gently stir in the milk until a dough forms.

Step 4

Once the squash is tender, stir in the partially cooked chicken and peas, then bring the broth back to a simmer. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth, spacing them evenly to make approximately 16 dumplings. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the dumplings are fully cooked, about 3 minutes more. Remove and discard the dill sprigs, then garnish with chopped dill before serving.