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Divine Classic Chicken and Dumplings: 1 Secret

Classic Chicken and Dumplings
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Make this Classic Chicken and Dumplings for a warm, comforting meal. This recipe brings together tender chicken in a savory stew topped with soft, fluffy dumplings. It is pure Southern comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs), cut up
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup milk

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken, water, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Strain the broth, discarding the boiled vegetables. You should have about 6 cups of broth. Set aside.
  3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin.
  4. In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup of flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
  5. Gradually whisk in 6 cups of the reserved broth until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often until it thickens slightly.
  6. Stir in the milk and heavy cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer.
  7. For the dumplings, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
  8. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  9. Stir in the 3/4 cup of milk until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
  10. Drop the dumpling dough by spoonfuls directly onto the simmering stew. Do not crowd them.
  11. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The dumplings will steam and puff up.
  12. Stir in the shredded chicken during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Save the leftover broth; it freezes well for future soups.
  • If you prefer, you can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to speed up the process.
  • For extra flavor in the broth, add a sprig of fresh thyme while simmering.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savorsensations.com/classic-chicken-and-dumplings-recipe/