In large plastic or paper bag, coat chicken with flour in 2 batches, shaking off excess. Place in single layer on wax paper.
Warm 3 tablespoons of the oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken in batches so pan is not crowded. Cook 15 to 20 minutes per batch, or until browned on all sides. Remove to large plate.
Warm remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in same pan over medium heat. Add leeks; cook 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring to scrape up brown bits. Add carrots, celery and apple wedges; cook 4 minutes. Add browned chicken, broth, juice, dill, salt and pepper. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
While chicken cooks, make dumpling batter (recipe follows).
Dinner Plan: Before adding dumplings, remove 1/2 of stew to microwaveproof container; cool, then freeze for later use. With a large spoon, drop dumpling batter in 8 spoonfuls over remaining stew. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered, about 16 minutes, or until dumplings are done. (Approximate microwave time: De-ost 45 minutes. When defrosted, place in deep, 10-inch skillet. Make another batch of dumplings, and continue cooking as directed above.)
Ingredients:
5 lb Chicken legs and thighs (skinned and defatted)
1/2 c Flour (all-purpose)
4 tb Olive oil
4 lg Leeks (cleaned and cut into 1" long slices)
6 md Carrots (sliced)
4 Stalks of celery (sliced)
2 Apples (tart, cut into thick wedges)
3 c Chicken broth
1 c Apple juice
2 tb Dill (finely chopped)
1/2 ts Salt
pn Black pepper
1 Dill Cornmeal Dumplings