Sandy's Chicken and Dumplings

Submitted by Annacia

"A from scratch real Southern Chicken and Dumplings. From: Southern U.S. Cuisine"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 25mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2-3 lb) whole chickens
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

• DUMPLINGS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk

directions

1. Place the chicken in a Dutch oven, and add the water, broth, carrot, onion, celery and salt.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. Simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, or until tender and chicken is done.
3. Remove chicken and allow it to cool enough to handle.
4. Remove the carrot, onion and celery pieces from the broth and discard.
5. Reserve the broth.
6. Bone the chicken, discarding all skin and bones, and cut meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

7. THE DUMPLINGS:

8. Combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal.
9. Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
10. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.

11. FOR DROP DUMPLINGS:

12. Pat the dough down to a 1/4-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-1/2-inch pieces.

13. FOR ROLLED DUMPLINGS:

14. Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into 3" x 1" strips.
15. Bring the chicken broth to a boil, and stir in the milk and pepper.
16. Correct seasonings, if desired.
17. Drop dumplings, one or two at a time, into the boiling broth and reduce heat to medium-low.
18. Stir from time to time to make sure dumplings do not stick together.
19. Cook dumplings 8 to 10 minutes. Add the boned chicken to the mixture and simmer until heated through.
20. Remove from heat.
21. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
22. Notes: Dumpling dough is very similar to biscuit dough and, like biscuit dough, the less it is handled, the lighter and more tender the result.

Reviews

[Mamas Kitchen Hope]

Nice meal in one. I would give five stars but my family shocked me by saying they really missed the veggies in here! This from picky eaters when it comes to veggies! Go figure! After taking the pic I salvaged the veggies that were not yet discarded- thank goodness and added them back in. The milk added to the broth was very different for us- I think we would have liked it more if I had used some half and half or cream to give it more body. I did garnish with chopped parsley more for the pic than anything. Made a pretty plate! The dumplings cooked up nicely. I would caution anyone making the drop dumplings against stirring the pot as it will break the dumplings- instead I just use the ladle and push each into the broth about halfway through the cooking and give each dumpling a turn so the top is now the bottom. I had no problem with them sticking but I think had they been rolled that would be a different matter. Thanks for sharing this recipe Annacia!