Growing up, Chicken and Dumplings was a staple in our house. The rolled out variety, not the drop variety. Us kids loved it and wanted it every chance we got. One year the parents were super broke and we ended up having dumplings for Thanksgiving dinner because it’s all they could afford and all we had supplies for. Us kids didn’t care! We loved it. In fact, it became a new tradition. I think we’ve had dumplings for Thanksgiving every year since. For several years, it was just chicken and dumplings and cornbread. There was probably some green beans or something as well. Eventually, we started adding some more traditional foods to the spread, but we always kept dumplings on the menu to remind us.
Dumplings are hard to get a decent picture of. Haha. There’s one below of a boring bowl of dumplings, but I’ve also got this picture of my adorable nephew eating a bowl of dumplings so that’s the one highlighted.
Here’s how to make it…
BROTH
Put 1 Whole Chicken, cut up, in a large pan. Fill with enough water to fill the pan about half-way or a little more. Boil for a couple hours.
Remove chicken from broth and set aside. The chicken should be pretty much falling off the bone, so you might need a slotted spoon to take out any pieces that break off. Add bouillon according to directions for the amount of water added, give or take according to taste. (If you actually measured it and didn’t just eyeball it. LOL) Return to boil.
DUMPLINGS
4 c. flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients and add enough milk at a time to make a stiff, but still slightly sticky dough. Roll out dough to desired thickness on a floured surface and slice into strips and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover and let them cook for about 20 minutes.
THE BIG FINISH
While the dumplings are boiling, take the chicken and separate it from the bone. Set aside until dumplings are finished. After the 20 minutes are up, take the lid off and stir in chicken. Serve.
VARIATIONS
– The recipe above will give you a heavier chewy noodle. I like mine a little fluffier and lighter. So I subtract an egg or two and add a tbsp of baking powder.
– I’ve also been known to add carrot slices and/or celery to the chicken and broth.
Enjoy!
- BROTH
- one whole chicken (can substitute leg quarters or any variety of pieces)
- chicken bouillon
- water
- DUMPLINGS
- 4 c. flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp. salt
- Milk
- Put 1 Whole Chicken, cut up, in a large pan. Fill with enough water to fill the pan about half-way or a little more. Boil for a couple hours. (But measure how much water you use because you'll kind of need to know that later.)
- Remove chicken from broth and set aside. The chicken should be pretty much falling off the bone, so you might need a slotted spoon to take out any pieces that break off. Add bouillon according to directions for the amount of water added, give or take according to taste. (If you actually measured it and didn't just eyeball it. LOL) Return to boil.
- Combine the first three ingredients and then add a little milk at a time to make a stiff, but still slightly sticky, dough. Roll out dough to desired thickness on a floured surface and slice into strips and drop into boiling broth. Work in batches. I use a fork or slotted spoon to push the first batch under the boiling broth and then start the second batch. Reduce heat, cover and let them cook for about 20 minutes.
- THE BIG FINISH
- While the dumplings are boiling, take the chicken and separate it from the bone. Set aside until dumplings are finished. After the 20 minutes are up, take the lid off and stir in chicken. Let simmer another 10 minutes or so. Serve.
- VARIATIONS
- - The recipe above will give you a heavier chewy noodle. I like mine a little fluffier and lighter. So I subtract an egg or two and add a tbsp of baking powder.
- - I've also been known to add carrot slices and/or celery to the chicken and broth.
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