Pat the chicken dry and put a few tbsp of oil in a stock pot. Place the chicken in and fry until the skin browns up nicely. Flip the chicken over and brown the other side.
Add a carrot, celery stick and onion to the pot. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and paprika on the chicken and cover with water.
Cook the chicken for 1 1/2 to 2 hours over a bare simmer to cook the meat and make broth. Remove the chicken to cool and then pick the meat off. Strain the broth and set aside.
In a stockpot with a lid, heat the bacon fat/butter. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and fragrant. About 5 minutes.
Add the wine and scrape up an brown bits. Add the chicken stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and let the mixture simmer until the veggies are tender and cooked. Add the shredded chicken and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Return the heat to medium until bubbles begin to appear. Add the dumplings and reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes without opening the lid. If the sauce seems thick before you add the dumplings, stir in some water before you add them. Stir in the cream and adjust seasoning again.