On a cold winter day, most of us want some comfort food! I love chicken pot pie and chicken dumplings but wanted a twist on the traditional recipes. I started with a simple rosemary marinade for the chicken and added smoked paprika and dry sherry imparting a nice warmness. Rosemary has a woodsy aroma with both a sweet and bitter pungency. The smoked paprika adds a wonderful smoky, warm flavor. Dry sherry has a roasted nutty flavor depending upon the type you purchase. These flavors blend together nicely in this recipe.

This dish warms over nicely – so make extras. I will make it on Sunday so we have left overs for a couple of days. In New York we are having some bitter cold winter days. When factoring in the wind chill, some days are -15 degrees F. No matter how warm you dress with a winter coat, boots, and gloves once you breathe in that frigid air you are cold! It is nice to come home to a quick dinner that is delicious and takes the chill away! Also on my blog I have a different recipe for Chicken Pot Pie that I make in a slow cooker. It is another great option for comfort food. What is your favorite dish when you want comfort food?

Chicken Marinade
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
3 Sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp cloves garlic, chopped
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tsp Lawry Salt or any seasoned salt
1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Stew Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced about 2 cups
2 potatoes, diced or 2 cups
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp smoked paprika

Sauce
Note: You may need more sauce depending upon the size of your chicken and vegetables.

1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 to 1 cup 1% milk
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry – do not use cooking sherry as it is loaded with sodium

Dumplings
Biscuits
Milk
Or your favorite recipe for dumplings

Marinade the Chicken
Coat the chicken with the dry marinade ingredients then add the grapeseed oil and rosemary sprigs. Let marinade for about 15-minutes or longer if you have the time. Heat a large frying pan without adding any oil if it is nonstick, add the chicken and cook on a low heat. Remove the rosemary when it gets tender and is about to fall apart – otherwise you will need to remove the individual rosemary pieces from your chicken. I am not a fan of large pieces of wilted rosemary in my final dish.

Prepare the Stew
While the chicken is cooking, prepare your other ingredients. In a braising pan, heat a tablespoon grapeseed oil then adds onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes and sauté until tender and start to caramelize. Do not to cover if you want your vegetables to brown since they will be mixed with condensation. Add some Lawry salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Make the sauce and bring together all ingredients
In a small pot heat the grapeseed oil then slowly whisk in the flour. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the milk, sherry, and cook until thick and warm. Add sauce to your braising pan; add your cooked chicken and green beans. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until all ingredients are warm through and green beans are cooked.

Dumplings
I like to use biscuits to make my dumplings. When I use biscuits I like to add some peas to the mixture. If you do not want to make dumplings you can always serve with a nice crusty bread.

If you like soup and stews, then check out:
Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup (or stew when I make it!)
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with a Kick!
My Version of Murgh Mumtaz Mahal or Indian Chicken Curry Soup
Super Bowl Turkey Chili With Cornbread
Chicken Pot Pie
Minestrone Slow-Cooked Stew
St. Patrick’s Day Potato Soup
Tomato Basil Orzo Soup – thank you Wegmans!

Categories: Chicken Recipes, Comfort Food, Cooking with Wine, Spirits & Stout!, Dinner Time!

Tags: chicken pot pie, cold winter days, dinner, dry sherry, easy to make, food, pot pie, rosemary, smoked paprika, Stew, winter