If there were a recipe out there more American country recipes in nature than
chicken and dumplings, you would be hard pressed to name it. Perhaps apple pie
would be a strong contender, but there are precious few others that say down
home country cooking like chicken and dumplings. And isn’t that what America
has always been about? The pace of life may quicken, technology expands and
cities grow larger, but this recipe will always bring to mind a simpler time
filled with family, love and the American way. There are many ways to make
chicken and dumplings, as country recipes go this is one of the most diverse
meals you can fix. Onions, vegetables and even a hint of garlic are all
perfectly acceptable additions to the basic recipe.
3 Lbs. Chicken- you can use any type of chicken for this. Breast meat is the best, however thighs, backs and even an entire broiler is fine.
2 qts water
Chicken Bullion- (optional)
2 cups Self-Rising Flour
3/4cp Milk
2-Eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Your first order of business is to prepare your chicken. Boil 3 pounds of chicken in two quarts of water until done through. Bone in chicken will begin separating. If you are using an entire broiler or similar bone in chicken you will need to remove it from the stove, allow it to cool completely and then remove chicken from the bones. Shred or chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Discard any skin and all excess bones. SAVE the broth! You may need to remove a bit of white froth from the top of your broth, particularly if you have used chicken with skin on. A slotted spoon or cheesecloth can be helpful to this end. At this point taste your broth, if it lacks flavor season with chicken bouillon to taste. Place boneless chicken in broth and return to the stove and high heat. Bring chicken and broth to a rolling boil, and then drop your dough mixture by the spoonful into the broth. Reduce heat to medium low and allow all to simmer for approximately 8-10 minutes.
Dough: Some recipes will call for creating a dough by kneading, rolling and cutting, but in today’s world who has the time? This is a much simpler method and results in tasty dumplings the way grandma used to make them! Mix self-rising flour, eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Stir until all flour is completely mixed in, do not over mix your dumplings. Remember they do not have to be perfect! For added flavor, you can use your chicken broth in place of milk.
Final Thoughts: As stated above, you can dress this recipe up in many different ways. Some people enjoy adding different vegetables to the mix as well as onion or even a bit of garlic. This is a recipe you can enjoy experimenting with! If you are extremely short on time, you can skip the dough-making phase by using store bought canned biscuits. Simply tear them into smaller pieces and drop into boiling chicken and broth.
