Beijing Chicken and Dumplings

FLKeysJen's Note:

Ah, the comforting feeling of a big pot of chicken and dumplings on the stove! Enjoy an Asian twist with a lighter sweet and sour style broth and dim sum dumplings. Easy to make and flavorful! I have updated this recipe to reflect changes graciously suggested by expert RSC#9 contest reviewers.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Add first

• 1 chicken , cut up (buy the eight piece chicken in your grocery store meat department)
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can fat free chicken broth
• ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon gingerroot , freshly grated
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic , chopped
• 4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (rice vinegar preferred)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Add last

• 2 carrots , peeled and shredded
• 3 cups bok choy , chopped (spinach or cabbage also work)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used large dried Asian mushrooms soaked overnight)
• ¼ cup green onion , chopped
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 (21 ounce) package pot stickers , frozen (about 30 pieces)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, combine all ingredients in "add first" category.
2. Add enough water to cover chicken and heat on high burner setting until boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour (leaving it on longer, up to an additional hour, is fine.).
3. Remove chicken pieces from pot and strain broth to remove fat.
4. Strip chicken off the bones; discard skin and bones and return chicken meat to soup pot along with "add last" ingredients.
5. Cook uncovered over medium heat 5-7 minutes (or until pot stickers are cooked) and serve hot.

Reviews

[LizAnn]

Upon Chef Rickmann's request, I made this again and the results were so much better. I tried to stay as close to the recipe given as possible but I did make a few alterations: I cut up a whole chicken and covered it with water and added remaining ingredients except chicken broth or chicken bullion. I used sesame salt and dulse for saltiness.I added the soy and sesame oil in the second half of recipe. I ended up with about 7 cups of broth to which I added my soak water from the mushrooms to make 8 cups. I only cooked the chicken 1 hour as I dont like overcooked chicken. After the chicken was deboned and ready to add to soup, I heated the broth and added veggies, soy, sesame oil, sugar and an extra tbs vinegar. My daughter fried the potstickers and we topped the soup with them. I did not mix them in the soup because last time they fell apart. The soup has a wonderful flavor without the potstickers. But the potstickers made it fun.

[BarbryT]

The broth is outstanding. Overall, in this soup there is just too much of too many good things. This combination doesn't really work for me. There are at least three fantastic soups here, though, if deconstructed. I recommend either chicken OR dumplings. Just the wonderful broth with veggies and noodles would be lovely. I am very glad I tried it.

[PanNan]

The seasonings were nice, however the broth was very fatty from the chicken skin, and the broth veggies were overcooked. The flavoring of the particular filling of the potstickers I used (pork based) didn't work well with the flavoring of the broth and chicken. I would make some adjustments to this recipe if I made it again. The broth should be strained and fat removed. Then I would add new chopped veggies and simmer til just tender before adding the chicken meat back in. I would also use Asian noodles instead of potstickers in the future, as this recipe doesn't need more seasoned filling from the potstickers.