Chicken and Pesto Dumpling Stew

A slightly more complex recipe but perfect for when you have a bit more time and fancy a treat.

Crispy cheesy dumplings, tasty pesto sauce, sneaky veg and succulent chicken all in one pot! This recipe takes a little more effort and time but is worth it for the end result. It can be easily scaled up or down, but do consider the size of the slow cooker you have as this will determine the amount of dumplings you can do. Most slow cooker pots can be put straight into the oven but double check before you do.

Chicken and Pesto Dumpling Stew

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800g bone-in chicken thighs

• 200g bacon lardons or rashers chopped

• 3tbsp flour

• 3tbsp pesto

• 80g sundried tomatoes chopped

• 2 leaks chopped into rounds

• 1 white onion diced

• 400ml chicken stock

• Handful of basil leaves roughly chopped

• 150g frozen peas

• 94g unsalted butter

• 170g self raising flour

• 70g parmesan grated

• 40g pine nuts

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan with oil on a hot heat, brown off the chicken and set aside

2. Fry off the bacon, onion and leaks and remove from heat

3. Stir in the pesto, sundried tomatoes, flour, and stock to the bacon mix and add to slow cooker

4. Add the chicken thighs to slow cooker and coat with sauce

5. Cook on high for 8 hours

6. Pre-heat oven to 200c or 180c fan

7. Stir frozen peas and basil leaves into stew

8. Make the dumplings by rubbing the butter and flour together with finger tips until they resemble breadcrumbs then mix in the cheese. Add 100ml water and mix with a knife until it forms a sticky dough. Break off lumps and shape into balls. Place on top of stew and scatter with pine nuts.

9. Bake in oven for 25 mins or until the dumplings are golden brown