Whistlestop Cafe Chicken and Dumplings

Submitted by linguinelisa

"I found this recipe in Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe Cookbook. I've made it many times and it is delicious. The original recipe called for 1 Tbsp. salt but the last time I made it that was too much so I changed it to 2 tsp..........you may want to adjust the amount lower and taste it before adding more."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 34mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 lbs chicken, cut up, skin removed
• 6 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄3 cup shortening
• 2 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1⁄2 cup water

directions

1. Place the chicken in a large, 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Add 6 cups water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tener. Remove from broth and let cool. Reserve the broth.
2. When chicken has cooled off, remove the meat from the bones and dice.
3. Next, add milk and margarine to the broth. Bring to a simmer.
4. TO MAKE THE DUMPLINGS: Cut the shortening into the flour, using a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup water and stir with a fork, just until dough leaves side of bowl. For rolled dumplings roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 x 1/2-inch strips or 2-inch squares. For dropped dumplings, pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off dough to 1 1/2-inch pieces.
5. Gradually drop dumplings, one at a time, into boiling broth mixture. Cover, reduce heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Stir in chicken and heat through.

Reviews

[bluegooroo1]

This is the only recipe I use for Chicken & Dumplings. This is the taste I remember from my childhood when my grandmother would prepare a pot when we wanted comfort food!

 

[Annacia]

One of the best chicken and dumplings that I have made as far as dumpling outcome. I thought that it could have used some celery, carrot and onion as well as some broth added instead of water alone because that's the way my grandmother made the dish and, of course, her chicken and dumplings were the best ever made (imho, lol). You do certainly get a broth from cooking the chicken in water but I found it weak tasting with nothing else used even with the milk and butter.