Ingredients

Method

• 4 free-range skinless chicken drumsticks
• 4 free-range skinless chicken thighs
• 4 T olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 200 g baby leeks, sliced
• 100 g small spring onions (white part only, green reserved for garnish)
• 1 t garlic, crushed
• 1 t green chilli, chopped, plus extra sliced chilli, to garnish
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups Woolworths whipping cream
• 1 t dill, chopped, to garnish
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 t parsley, chopped
For the dumplings:
• 120 g flour
• 2 t baking powder
• ¼ t bicarbonate of soda
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup Woolworths whipping cream
• 2 T Woolworths basil pesto
• 3 T butter, melted
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the chicken in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and season. Bake for 25 minutes.

2. Heat 2 T olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the leeks and the white parts of the spring onions until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the cream and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–8 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. To make the dumplings, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, cream, pesto and melted butter. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, taking care not to overmix. Adjust the seasoning.

5. Return the sauce to a medium heat and, once warm, drop tablespoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the warm sauce and gently poach for 8–10 minutes.

6. Divide the chicken and dumplings between plates and pour over the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley, sliced chilli, spring onion and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Find more chicken recipes here. 

Photographs: Jan Ras
Food assistants: Claire-ellen Van Rooyen and Kate Ferreira