Chicken, Root Veg & Sage-Onion Dumpling Stew

Ingredients

• 150g boneless chicken thighs for this meal
• 70g extra chicken for Dinner 3
• ¾ potato, white potatoes
• 70g extra potato and root veg for Dinner 3
• 1 carrot, batons or chunks
• ½ parsnip, batons or chunks
• ¼ leek, sliced
• ½ red onion, wedges
• ½–1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 150ml low-salt or no-salt chicken stock
• ½ tsp mixed Italian herbs
• 25g sage and onion stuffing mix
• 5ml oil
• 35g self-raising flour
• 18g vegetable suet
• 20–30ml cold water, as needed
• 2g parsley, optional

Method

1. Heat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
2. Put the potatoes in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Add carrots and parsnips for the final 5 minutes, then drain.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the chicken pieces for 5–6 minutes, until golden on the outside. They do not need to be fully cooked yet.
4. Add the chicken to a large ovenproof dish. Keep the planned extra chicken for Dinner 3 separate so it can be removed before seasoning.
5. In the same pan, fry red onions and leeks for 5 minutes. Add garlic for the final minute.
6. Add the drained potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onion, leek and garlic to the ovenproof dish.
7. Remove the Dinner 3 portion of plain chicken and root vegetables now. Cool quickly and refrigerate.
8. Remove baby and toddler portions now if needed. Cook their portion separately with a little water or no-salt stock until chicken is fully cooked and veg is very soft.
9. Add low-salt stock and mixed Italian herbs to the main dish. Stir in stuffing mix.
10. Cover with foil, pierce the top, and bake for 40 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Mix self-raising flour, suet and parsley. Add cold water gradually until you have a firm but pliable dough. Divide into small balls.
12. After 40 minutes, remove the foil. Add dumplings, pushing them halfway into the stew.
13. Bake uncovered for another 20 minutes, until dumplings are golden and chicken is fully cooked through.
14. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.