This recipe, a near clone of our Turkey and Dumplings, is quick to assemble; parts of it can even be done in advance. Self-rising flour makes the dumplings both tender, and easy.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the dumplings: Place the flour into a bowl, and work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the herbs. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.
To make the filling: Melt the butter in an oven-safe, 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour; cook for 1 minute.
Add the broth 1/2 cup at a time, whisking it into the flour and butter to prevent lumps. When all the broth has been added, season with the thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, then stir in the chicken and vegetables. Keep the mixture at a low simmer while you finish the dumplings.
To finish the dumplings: Whisk the buttermilk and egg together and add to the dry dumpling mixture, stirring just until evenly moistened.
To assemble: Scoop the batter onto the simmering filling, using a muffin scoop or 1/4-cup measure. Leave some space between the dumplings; they'll almost double in size as they cook. Put the lid on the pan, and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes to brown the biscuits.
Remove from the oven, and scoop a dumpling and a portion of the filling onto each serving plate. Serve hot.
Yield: 7 to 8 generous servings.
