Chicken & Dumplings
“Y’aint country if you don’t bleed chicken’ and dumplin’s.” That’s what my great great grandmother, Lelia, would tell anyone – come here or born here. Chicken and dumplings is one of those traditional meals you see at many Sunday suppers. I’ve known people to get divorced over chicken and dumplings – that’s how serious this dish is ’round these parts.
Can you see my roots coming through? LOL
Chicken and dumplings is a country staple, no matter how it’s made. Some folks boil the chicken, others roast it. Some folks like their dumplings thick, others want ’em thin and slippery. I’m going to tell you how I make roast chicken and thin slippery dumplings. The dumplings themselves are a family recipe – I cook the chicken the way I’ve found to produce the most juice/flavor for the dumplings.
Chicken & Dumplings
Ingredients
- Roasted Chicken
- 1 roasting hen
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock plus 1 cup
- 1 sprig parsley
- Slick Dumplings
- 2 cups flour
- 2 heaping TBSP. Crisco
- Dash of salt
- Pinch of baking soda makes dumplings slick
- Water as needed
- 8 cups chicken stock
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush your roasting hen with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped vegetables on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth or stock over the vegetables.
- Set the hen on top of the vegetables and cook 30 minutes per pound.
- When the chicken is done remove the rack from the roasting pan. Discard the vegetables and scrape up any pieces on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the juices and bits to a large pot and add the chicken stock. Bring the water to a boil.
- While you wait for the stock to boil start making your dumplings:
- Mix flour, Crisco, salt and baking soda well.
- Add water gradually until dough can be formed into a ball. Start with 1 cup, if more is needed add a tablespoon at a time.
- Knead dough on floured board.
- Roll very, very thin.
- Cut into desired length or squares.
- Drop into boiling chicken stock 5 or 6 at a time. Wait for the water to return to a boil and drop more. Continue until the dumplings are all in the pot.
- Cook uncovered until tender (about 15 minutes).
- Season with Salt & Pepper to taste
