Place chicken pieces in the pot and cover with water or stock. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a low boil then reduce to a gentle simmer for forty minutes. Stir every ten minutes so nothing sticks.

Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon. Let it cool for a few minutes. Skim any extra fat from the broth and take out the bay leaves.

Pull the meat from the bones and shred it into bite sized pieces. Discard the bones.

Mix flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Rub cold butter into the flour with your fingertips until it looks crumbly. Slowly pour milk while stirring until a soft dough forms.

Lightly flour the counter and roll the dough to about one quarter inch thick. Cut squares roughly two inches wide.

Bring the broth to a gentle boil. Drop in dough squares one at a time. Stir gently every few pieces.

Reduce heat to medium and cook dumplings for ten minutes. Taste one to check that it lost the raw flour flavor.

Add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Simmer for five more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper, then sprinkle parsley on top.

Serve hot and enjoy.