Posted By FarmerJ on October 19, 2009

Hooray!  Yippee!  Woo-to-the-hoo!  I did it!  I finally found a dumpling recipe that let me succeed in my attempt to make Chicken and Dumplings.  I even heard those words I so carefully listen for while Darling Husbie’s eating, “This is tasty, Baby.”  Squeeeeeee!  I know this is a keeper recipe, now!

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve attempted to make Chicken and Dumplings, only to end up with sticky, gooey blobs of dough or remnants of dumplings that just disintegrate.  It’s been so frustrating!  I absolutely love Chicken and Dumplings ~ and my dear friend, Spark Plug, makes a fabulous pot that has you coming back for thirds and fourths ~ but she lives 1,400 miles away from me and we haven’t yet figured out how she can ship me some.

Spark Plug has given me her recipe at least three times, and I’ve even stood over her shoulder watching her while she made it.  No matter.  The next time I tried to make a pot just like she’d shown me, I failed.

But since my recent birthday, and me being so much older and wiser now, I figured I’d give it one more go.  Now, Spark Plug uses self-rising flour in her recipe.  Great.  Right off the bat I’m set up for failure because I only have regular ol’ all-purpose flour.  So, what would any desperate amateur chef do at a time like this?  Yep.  I Googled it.  Numerous links to no-fail dumpling recipes appeared ~ and I’m thinking, “Yeah right!  No-fail.  You haven’t seen me try to make dumplings before!”

After reviewing a half dozen or so recipes, I decided to take a little bit of this from that one, and a little bit of that from this one, and some pointers from Spark Plug, and give it a whirl.  And, it worked!  So, I thought I’d share my concoction with you in case you’d like to give it a whirl, too.

Chicken and Dumplings

• 2 Chicken Quarters
• 1 Onion; quartered
  
• 4 Celery Stalks; cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces
  
• 8 cups Water
• 2 tsp Chicken Bouillon
• 1-1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Shortening
• 1 Egg; beaten
• 5 tbsp Water
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Add chicken quarters, onion, celery, bouillon and garlic powder to 8 cups water.  Boil until chicken is tender and falls from bone.  Remove chicken; debone and set aside.  Strain onion and celery pieces from broth, saving broth.  Add 2 cans soup; stir until well mixed. Let simmer.

Meanwhile, mix flour, salt, shortening and egg.  Then add 5 tbsp water.  When dough is soft, divide into 3 parts.  Roll out very thin.  Let sheet of dough dry out 20 minutes.

Bring broth and soup mixture to a boil.  Cut dough into thin strips, and then into 1 or 2 inch pieces.  Drop into boiling broth.  Stir gently to separate any dough pieces that may have stuck together.  Boil for 15 to 20 minutes until dough is cooked.

Reduce temperature.  Add chicken; stirring gently.  Simmer slowly 15 minutes.  Broth will thicken nicely.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

It’s simply delicious!  Enjoy!  ♥

Categories: Meats & Eats
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