This rustic northern Italian specialty features tender dumplings deeply flavored with Parmesan and served in a light chicken broth. We modernized the classic recipe a bit, making it heartier by adding fennel, carrots, and escarole. For the dumplings, we combined fresh toasted bread crumbs with some rendered chicken fat and a generous amount of grated Parmesan for great savory flavor. Egg whites gave the dumplings a lighter texture. To ensure that the dumplings remain intact during cooking, roll them until the surfaces are smooth and no cracks remain.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional), plus 3 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (1½ cups)
- 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ small head escarole (6 ounces), trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
How to Make It
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes; transfer to large plate and discard skin.
- Measure out and reserve 1 tablespoon fat from pot for dumplings; pour off all but 1 teaspoon remaining fat. Add fennel, onion, carrots, and ½ teaspoon salt to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until almost dry, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth and Parmesan rind, if using. Nestle chicken into pot, adding any accumulated juices, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Measure out 1 cup bread crumbs and transfer to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet; discard remaining crumbs. Toast crumbs in oven until light brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl, reserving sheet and parchment, and let cool completely.
- Stir reserved 1 tablespoon fat, grated Parmesan, egg whites, lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg into bread crumbs until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Discard Parmesan rind, if using. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard bones.
- Working with 1 teaspoon dough at a time, roll into smooth balls and place on reserved sheet (you should have about 28 dumplings). Return soup to simmer over medium-high heat, then stir in escarole and chicken. Add dumplings and cook until they float to surface and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.