Calico Chicken and Dumplings

Submitted by Mary Leverington

"This stew is definitely in the "comfort foods" category. Grandma made it almost every Sunday for the family dinner. (Grandpa had a chicken farm.) I actually think my version is better. The addition of the frozen vegetables add color and you can add as many as you want to."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• Chicken

• 1 large chicken, cut into pieces,visible fat removed
• 2 stalks celery, sliced,leafy part too
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced (optional)
• 1⁄2 - 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (I like Lawrys)
• 1⁄2 cup minced Italian parsley
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (I like the kind with peas, beans, carrots, and small lima beans)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• water, to cover an inch

• Dumplings

• 1 3⁄4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 2 tablespoons green onions or 2 tablespoons regular onions
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried marjoram (optional)
• 2⁄3 cup milk
• 1 egg

directions

1. Place chicken, celery, onion, parsley, parsnips in a large Dutch oven and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low, just hot enough to maintain a slow simmer.
3. When chicken is tender, remove the chicken to a bowl.
4. Whisk the flour into about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth from the pot.
5. When smooth, return to the pot, stir and heat to thicken.
6. Add seasoning salt to your taste.
7. When the gravy tastes just right, return the chicken and add the frozen vegetables to the pot.
8. Prepare the dumplings: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.
9. Stir in parsley, chives; thyme and marjoram if you're using them.
10. Beat the milk and egg together and add to the dry ingredients.
11. Stir with a fork just until mixed.
12. Don't beat or handle too much.
13. Bring chicken and gravy to a simmer.
14. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter all over the surface of the stew.
15. Replace cover and steam for about 10 minutes.
16. If you have more batter than you have room, make a second batch.
17. Don't overcrowd the dumplings.

Reviews

[Roosie]

Comfort food? You ain't kiddin! BF has always been very anti-chicken and dumplings due to bad experiences at a camp with the canned variety (which is more like chicken and glue-balls than dumplings), but for some reason, he found this recipe and requested we made it. I tinkered with the recipe a bit- I sauteed the veggies, then sauteed the chicken, made a roux with the flour and then added homemade vegetable broth instead of water. Worked very well. I didn't use a whole chicken, but rather some boneless, skinless thighs. I added frozen green beans and peas, which was nice. The real star of this recipe, though is the wonderful tender dumplings. They had lovely flavor from the spices and herbs. I used whole wheat pastry flour for mine, which was wonderful. They fluffed up gorgeously and even reheated okay the next day! I actually did not have room in my stockpot (9Qt) for all the dumpling batter, though I wish I had because they were dreamy. Great comfort food. I thought the parsnips added great flavor and texture, and I think that potatoes might be a nice addition too! Thank you Mary; this one is a keeper!!!