Smoked Mexican-inspired chicken and dumplings

Spatchcock the chicken: cut up both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears and remove it (save it for soup), nick the breastbone, turn it over and press flat.

Mix the rub: chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, about a couple tablespoons of garlic paste, cilantro paste and a good shot of oil.

Rub it over the inside, then the outside of the chicken, the legs, thighs, crevices, breasts and wings; loosen the skin over the breasts and push some paste underneath. Tuck the wing tips.

Smoke at 375 for an hour to an hour and a quarter, with a probe in the breast set for 160; pull it when it hits 160.

Let it cool, remove the skin and shred the meat into not-too-small pieces, about three cups.

Melt butter with a little oil in a pot; add carrots and celery and cook two to three minutes to soften.

Add diced yellow onion and a couple jalapenos; cook a few minutes to soften.

Add garlic paste and cilantro paste; cook one minute.

Scatter a quarter cup of flour over and mix until no white shows.

Add chicken stock, then a cup of guacamole salsa, a little more oregano and cumin; mix and bring to a little boil, then down to a simmer.

Return the chicken with the juice of one large lime or two small ones; simmer 10 minutes.

For the dumplings, whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, make a well, add milk, melted butter and a little cilantro; mix only until it comes together, since overmixing makes hard dumplings.

Drop scoops of dough lightly on top with an ice cream scoop or two spoons, keeping a gentle simmer, not a boil.

Cover and cook 15 minutes.

In the remake, in a cast iron pan, the dumplings were done after about 11 to 12 minutes; they are ready when a skewer comes out clean. Top with a little cilantro.