Julia's Simple Chicken & Dumplings

This is Chicken & Dumplings the easy and delicious way. Traditional, southern, no-frills, and wonderful. Forget all the extras and treat yourself to what this dish was truly meant to be, both taste and work-wise. This recipe is a traditional dish from my partner, Julia's, family. There is very little that you can do to hurt this recipe. The most important thing to remember is to stir often once you begin to add dumplings so that they neither stick nor burn. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Chicken and Stock

• 1 (3 lb)  whole chickens
• 1  onion, sliced
• 5  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 2  teaspoons pepper
• 1⁄4 cup milk

• Dumplings

• 3  cups flour
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place all listed ingredients into stock pot and add just enough water to cover chicken.
2. Simmer for approximately 40 minutes or until chicken parts easily from bone.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool.
5. Separate meat from bones, divide into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.
6. Discard bones.
7. In a medium bowl, combine flour, water, salt and pepper for dumplings and mix well.
8. Dough should be well-defined, barely sticky, and easy to handle by hand: If it is too sticky, add more flour, or if it is crumbling, add more water.
9. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll with a rolling pin to 1/8" thickness.
10. Return chicken stock to a simmer and add chicken.
11. With a sharp knife, cut dumpling dough into stips approximately 1" x 3".
12. Add strips to simmering stock, stirring as you add them to keep them from sticking to each other or to the pot.
13. Continue to re-roll the dough as needed, cutting dumpling strips and adding them to the stock until all dough is used.
14. When stock turns an opaque yellowish-white color and thickens, add milk and stir.
15. Add salt and pepper to taste.
16. Excess may be frozen in a tupperware container or a doubled ziplock-type container for up to a month.
17. Feel free to add up to 2 cups of water for more stock or to even up to double the amount of dumplings to accomodate your needs or tastes.