Chicken and Dumplings

3 tbsp butter
half of a large onion, diced
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
5 stalks celery, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cups flour
1 can (14.5oz) low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2" pieces
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas

1. In a dutch oven or heavy 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and thyme. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken to pot, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

2. While the chicken is cooking, mix Bisquick and milk in a bowl. Mixture will be sticky. Set aside.

3. Once chicken has been cooking for 20 minutes, stir in peas. Raise heat to return to a simmer, then drop dumpling batter into the soup by tablespoonfuls, evenly spaced throughout the pan. (They grow while they cook, so be sure to space them out.) Reduce heat so soup maintains a simmer, cover and simmer for additional 15-20 minutes, until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm. During this final simmer, the soup and chicken may to stick to the bottom of the pot, so gently stir occasionally with a small spatula so as not to disturb the dumplings too much.

Serves 4-6.