Verde Chicken with Cornbread Dumplings and Cherry Tomato Avocado Salsa

Preheat your oven to 400 F/200 C.

1. If you’re starting with uncooked chicken breasts, heat 2/3 of the oil in a large oven-proof skillet on medium heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes each side or until chicken is cooked through. When done remove the chicken to a plate and set the skillet aside (you’ll use it in a few minutes). When it’s cool enough to handle, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. If you’re starting with a rotisserie chicken, just pick the meat of the chicken and move on to step 2.

2. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers and peel the onion and garlic. Roughly chop the peppers and onions and place in a food processor. Add the cilantro (reserve a small hand full for the salsa) and garlic into the food processor. Put the lid on and pulse until finely minced.

3. In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in heat the remaining 1/3 of the oil. Add the cumin and sauté for 30 seconds. Then add the food processor pepper mixture to the pan and and sauté for another minute. Remove from pan to a bowl.

4. In the same pan, heat the butter until melted. Add the flour and mix with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth, the pepper mixture, and the cream, constantly whisking. With your pan on medium-low allow the mixture to cook for about 4 minutes or until it begins to bubble and thicken. Add the cooked chicken pieces. Allow this mixture to cook another 3-5 minutes until thick and bubbly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Meanwhile assemble the dumpling dough. In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and baking powder. Add melted butter and buttermilk and stir until just combined. A thick dough will form.

6. Turn off the heat on the stew mixture. Drop the dumpling dough into the stew by heaping spoons all over the mixture. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until dumplings are nicely browned on the top.

7. While your dumplings are baking, wash and roughly chop the cherry tomatoes. Peel, pit and dice the avocado. Put the tomatoes and avocado into a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and add in some cilantro leaves from the bunch you used in the stew. Toss with seasoned salt or just salt.

Remove the stew from the oven. Spoon into soup bowls or plates and top with the tomato avocado salsa. Dinner is served!