Chicken

Basic Chicken & Dumplings

A Southern favorite, Chicken and Dumplings are one of those comfort foods that satisfy my soul. I always taste before adding any additional salt.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken, bone-in, skin on

(it can be all breasts or a whole cut-up chicken)

• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 carrot ( medium) cut into slices

• 1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges

• ½ tsp pepper

• ½ tsp thyme

• ½ tsp sage

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 5½ cups water

• 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon or Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base*

Instructions

1. In a large pot, place chicken and the rest of the ingredients; cover; heat to

boiling; reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 1 to 1½ hours.

2. Remove chicken and vegetables from pot; remove skin and bones from

the chicken; discard.

4. Skim fat from broth; save for another use. Place 4 cups of stock back into

pot; add chicken and vegetables; bring to boil, then reduce heat to a

medium boil.

5. At this point add the dumplings (scroll below).

Options

• You can also use a crockpot; heat mixture to boiling; turn on low and cook

for 3 to 4 hours. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Bring back to boiling; drop in

dumplings (scroll below).

*Don't add additional salt if using any type of bouillon.

KEYWORDS

chicken and dumplings, chicken dumplings

Basic Dumplings

Dumplings are definitely a Southern thing. They can be part of a main

entrée or a dessert, like blackberry cobbler*. I grew up with chicken and

dumplings as well as kraut dumplings (my dad's favorite).

When dumplings are dropped into a boiling mixture of fruit, sugar and

liquid, it's called a cobbler.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 3 Tbsp shortening

• ¾ cup milk

Instructions

1. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening using a pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in milk with a light touch with a fork.

2. On a piece of parchment, sprinkle flour and add dough; knead lightly 2 or

3 times. Roll or pat until ¾-inch thick, cut into circles or strips.

3. You can drop the dough directly into the hot boiling mixture (chicken, vegetables, fruit, etc.). Cook uncovered for 10 minutes; then covered for 10 minutes.

Options

• For savory dumplings you can add ½ reaspoon dried herbs or

¼ cup shredded cheese.

• For a sweeter dumpling, add 2 tablespoons sugar to the flour

mixture then continue with recipe.

• If you want the dumplings to be brown on top, put under the

broiler for a few minutes.

• For thinner dumplings (slick dumplings), roll the dough on a floured

surface until thickness is reached; cut into strips (2x4-inches) before

dropping into liquid. Using pie crust makes an even thinner dumpling.

*When adding to cobblers, add up to ½ cup sugar to flour mixture. You can

also sprinkle the dumplings with sugar after dropping into liquid.

KEYWORDS

basic dumplings, puffy dumplings, flat dumplings