Ingredients
3-4 cups cooked chicken, chopped in 1/2″ pieces
2 carrots, cut into strips and diced
1 to 1 1/2 onions, diced
2 medium/large potatoes, diced
1 sweet potato, cut into matchsticks
1-2 stalks of celery, sliced on the diagonal
Instructions
Put in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook until crisp
tender or about 15 minutes. Add one 12- to 16-ounce can of
peas or beans (pinto, garbanzo, navy, white, etc.) drained and
one small can of corn with the liquid. (This was just about
everything I had in the pantry that night!) Heat through.
Strain and set aside, covered. Use this broth in the next
step.
Put the carcass that is cracked apart, one half of a small
onion that is chopped fine, one crushed clove of garlic, a few
red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of dill or
thyme into a pot. Cover with the vegetable water plus enough
water to make at least four cups. Slowly boil about 20 to 30
minutes. Strain broth and reserve. Use this broth in next
step. (If you don’t have a carcass, you can use any broth or
just the vegetable water. Season to taste.)
In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter or shortening,
add 2 to 3 Tablespoons flour to make a roux. Slowly add the
broth (at least 4 cups) you have made from the vegetable and
carcass water. Stir until thickened to the consistency of
heavy cream. Adjust consistency as needed with more liquid or
flour mixed with water.
When thickened, stir in the chicken and vegetables, flavor
with any seasoning or combination you like (dill, thyme,
parsley, ginger, rosemary, etc.). I have used many different
spices over the years. Put on very low heat and cover to keep
warm.
Make biscuits with your favorite recipe or use 3 cups biscuit
mix (I actually used pancake mix that night, as I had no other
flour). Roll out and cut with a 2 to 2 1/2″ star shaped cookie
cutter. (This is a trick that I learned years ago. The
biscuits look larger than they are because of the “points.”)
Bake after brushing with a little milk or melted butter. Makes
18 to 20 biscuits.
We served this in bowls. We split and buttered the biscuits
and ladled the stew over them. It was plenty for all 10 of us!
