This healthy version of old-fashioned chicken dish contains skinless chicken thighs that are cooked in a mixture of carrot, leek, parsnip, celery and peas and topped with a low-fat dumpling mixture.

Ingredients

Chicken:

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless chicken thighs (about 12 ounces)

4 cups thinly sliced leek, rinsed and drained

4 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

1 1/2 cups baby carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped parsnip

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

Dumplings:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives



Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Dredge the chicken in flour mixture, and turn to coat; shake off excess flour. Add the chicken to the pot; cook 3 minutes on each side, or until well-browned. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add leeks to pot; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Return chicken to pot, and stir in broth, carrots, parsnips, celery, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Partially cover; reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pan. Pull the meat from bones; discard bones. Return the chicken to the pot, and stir in peas.

To prepare the dumplings, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt 3 times (this makes the dumplings very light). Combine the flour mixture, milk, and chives, and stir until moist.

Drop dough by 3 tablespoonfuls into a barely simmering chicken mixture. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 12 minutes, or until the dumplings are done (do not bring to a boil, or the dumplings will break up).

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 362 Fat per serving: 12g Saturated fat per serving: 2g Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5g Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 3g Protein per serving: 18g Carbohydrates per serving: 47g Fiber per serving: 5g Cholesterol per serving: 45mg Iron per serving: 4mg Sodium per serving: 825mg Calcium per serving: 213mg