EASY JAMAICAN CURRIED CHICKEN

If you enjoy comfort food, you'll love my Easy Jamaican Curried Chicken with chewy dumplings—a delicious twist on the classic comfort of chicken and dumplings. With a fusion of spices, perfectly simmered chicken and tender vegetables, this dish is beyond satisfying. My grand-babies regularly request I make them these dense dumplings coated in the rich curry sauce and they will eat bowl after bowl of them.

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs

• 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 1/2 tsp HER COPPER KITCHEN HOUSE SEASONING)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp curry powder

• 1 tsp seasoning salt

• 1 lg onion, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp scotch bonnet hot sauce (optional)

• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme stems removed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 1 large russet potato, cut in 2” cubes

• 1 large carrot, chopped

• 2 ribs celery, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh or freeze dried parsley (or 1 tbsp dried)

Heavy Jamaican Dumplings:

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp chicken bouillon powder or salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup warm water

DIRECTIONS 

• Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder or with Her Copper Kitchen’s House Seasoning and curry. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Roast in 375 F degree oven for 30 minutes. 

• While chicken is roasting, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven pot and sauté the onion, celery, carrots, for 4-5 minutes. Add curry and garlic powder and sauté 1 more minute.

• Add potatoes, green pepper, chicken broth, hot sauce, season salt, and thyme.

• Add roasted chicken thighs and their juices to the pot and let simmer, covered on medium low heat for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender.  

• Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Dumplings:

• Make your dumplings by mixing the flour, bouillon powder and pepper in a medium sized bowl. 

• Add the water to the flour mixture and knead into a dough ball. You may not need the entire cup of water.

• Pinch off about a heaping tablespoon of the dough into floured hands and roll with the palm of your hands to create "spinners or snakes".  

• Roll formed dumplings in a bit more flour (this step helps thicken the gravy) and add each of the dumplings into the boiling pot of curried chicken.

• Allow to simmer over low heat for another 5-8 minutes. 

• Add parsley and gently stir.

• Serve.