Remove the chicken and add your chopped vegetables. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until they soften. This builds a deep flavor for your stew.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the herbs. Put the chicken back into the pot carefully. Let the liquid simmer slowly on low heat.

Mix your flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until it looks crumbly. Slowly add buttermilk to form a soft, wet dough.

Drop small spoonfuls of dough into the simmering broth. Do not crowd the pot too much at once. The dumplings need space to grow and expand.

Cover the pot with a tight lid right away. Steam the dumplings for about fifteen minutes total. Do not lift the lid while they are cooking.

Stir in the heavy cream at the very end. Season the stew with extra salt and black pepper. Serve it hot in big, deep ceramic bowls.