Mommy's Chicken and Dumplings

(This picture that I took sucks. But after searching for beautiful pictures of Chicken and Dumplings on Google to pass off for my own, I have found that all pictures of Chicken and Dumplings suck. I guess that's what you get when "dump" is in the title of your dish.)


I was sick this week. So sick, in fact that I did not go one day without a massive 2-hour nap. And even then, I was exhausted. One day, I woke up from said ginormous nap and Caenaan had brought home all I needed to make my favorite comfort food: my mom's Chicken and Dumplings. I had to make them myself, but I guess it's the thought that counts. That, and I don't think he could even read my recipe, considering that it is just a list of ingredients scratched on a notecard... I've made it so many times. So, here it is for you to enjoy. Every person should have a recipe like this in their arsenal... comfort food at it's finest!

Mom's Chicken and Dumplings (simplified)

Now, when my mom makes this, she of course makes her own chicken stock and uses the cooked chicken from that in this recipe. I am lazier, and find that it's nearly as satisfying to buy stock and pre-cooked chicken from the store. And that turns this into a 30-Minute Meal (ugh, Rachael Ray).

Ingredients:

Two 32 oz Cartons Chicken Broth (or stock)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 or 2 Tsp Poultry Seasoning (I like LOTS)
1 Rotisserie Chicken
Salt and Pepper

Dumplings (this is doubled... I like dumplings)
3 C Flour
1 Tsp Salt
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 C Shortening
1 C Milk

Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and set aside. Throw away the bones and skin, or save them to make your own chicken stock!

Pour chicken broth into large stockpot, whisk in cream of chicken soup and poultry seasoning. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to remove lumps.

While broth heats up, combine flour, salt and baking powder in large mixing bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or a fork, until there are crumbs no larger than peas. Stir in milk until dough combines. Form into a ball. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into strips about 2 inches wide, then cut those strips into pieces about 3 inches long. Add reserved chicken to broth, then drop dumplings one at a time into the boiling broth. Lower heat to medium. Let the dumplings float for a few minutes, then push them down into the broth gently. Don't manhandle them, or they'll disintegrate! Keep pushing the dumplings down every few minutes and after about 7 minutes of cooking, your chicken and dumplings will be done! Add salt and pepper to taste.

These get even better as the days go by... the dumplings break down a bit and thicken the soup even more. Mmm.... Thanks MOM!