Poach the chicken. Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover it with the chicken stock. Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, and a good pinch of salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat — you should see lazy bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. Let it cook for 45 minutes. The kitchen will fill with a gentle, savoury steam, and the chicken will become so tender it begins to pull away from the bone.

Shred the chicken. Carefully lift the chicken out of the pot onto a large board. When it's cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, shredding it into bite-sized pieces with your fingers. Discard the skin and bones. Strain the cooking broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl, then wipe out the pot. You should have a rich, golden liquid that smells deeply of chicken and herbs.

Sweat the vegetables. Melt the butter in the now-empty pot over a medium-low heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Stir them occasionally, letting them soften for about 8-10 minutes. They should become translucent and release a sweet, earthy aroma, but without taking on any colour.

Make the roux. Sprinkle the 60g of plain flour over the softened vegetables. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes. The mixture will clump together into a paste and turn a pale, biscuit colour. This step is crucial for thickening the broth without lumps.

Build the broth. Slowly pour the reserved, strained chicken broth back into the pot, whisking continuously as you go. The roux will dissolve into the liquid, creating a smooth, silky base. Add the minced garlic and white pepper. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer; it will look thin at first but will thicken as it cooks.

Simmer the base. Let the broth simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. It should reduce slightly and become glossy. Stir in the shredded chicken, then taste and adjust the salt. The broth should be rich, savoury, and full of chicken flavour.

Prepare the dumpling dough. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the self-raising flour and salt. Rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, pour in the milk, and add the parsley. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together. Do not overmix — a few dry patches are fine.

Drop in the dumplings. Using two spoons, drop golf-ball-sized scoops of the dumpling dough gently onto the surface of the simmering broth. They will sink slightly before bobbing back up. Try to space them out so they have room to expand. The sound of them hitting the broth is a satisfying, soft plop.

Steam the dumplings. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the dumplings steam for 20 minutes without lifting the lid. The steam is what makes them light and fluffy. After 20 minutes, the dumplings will have doubled in size and will feel springy to the touch.

Rest and serve. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 5-10 minutes. This rest time allows the dumplings to absorb a little broth and become perfectly tender. Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each serving gets a good portion of chicken, broth, and dumplings.