Chicken casserole with herby dumplings

Name: Chicken casserole with herby dumplings
Ingredients: 12 skinless chicken pieces - a mixture of thighs and drumsticks on the bone, and halved chicken breasts; 3 tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 onion, sliced; 2 carrot, diced; 200g bacon lardon, smoked or unsmoked, or streaky rashers, snipped; 3 bay leaf; 3 sprigs thyme; bottle of cheap red wine; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1 chicken stock cube; 140g cold butter, diced; 250g self-raising flour; 2 tbsp chopped mixed herb - try parsley, thyme and sage or chives