Mother's Old-Fashioned Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

My favorite chicken and dumplings recipe! I add onion, celery, and carrots and follow the rest of the recipe as directed- yum!

I LOVE YOUR RECEIPTIES, FOR I HAD PARENTS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA , AN LEARNT HOW TO MAKE ALL THE EUROPEON, AT LEAST SOME OF IT FROM MY MOTHER, Therefore, enjoy yours that you have put out. to the public, Just learnt from one of your receipties that you put out, For have a friend from THAI.an once in awhile she will cook you way, she learnt an gives me some stuff, This last time she brought to me look like peroiges, but found out through you that it was chinese dumplings. an what was in it etc.
Thank you for that. I lived on a 100 acer farm with my parents an we had our own food that we raised, or grew, had chickents an eggs for the market so we ate alot of chickens an eggs, You mentioned chickens with dumplings. well, mom made that with whipping cream that was really good n filling but very rich, ate alot of vegables for had our own garden, We had cattle, pigs, an father an others would
kill a pig in the fall, an then we had pork all winter, an then they would make rice sauages, that to was good, but full of cholastor,
Learnt how to make this as well, but it takes two people to make it, Any way, we didn't bake much, weren't for sweets, once in awhile, like for christmas mom made puff pastry, like apple strudels, etc. That what is like w ith me don't make the apple studle, too much work as well, use to make cabbage rows not casarol like the most canadians do. But, one in awhile, make it but, found that the M&M they sell them like mom an i plus, my aunts make so it is now more easier then try to make them to buy them if you have the money,

now, you know of my history, ha ha. that is o.k. But, still, like to see ours receipties. Merry Christmas & Healthy New year God Bless.
helen,

Hello!

Great recipe!

I make mine a little different- as I like a really savory dish. Of course, no measurements- as that’s the way I was taught, “just a pinch of this and a tad of that”.

When I can I do these things to make a hearty, richer flavored dish:
- prep chicken and put into a deep pan or Dutch oven
- in a bowl add salt, pepper, garlic &onion powder (to taste), crushed - dry thyme (a healthy pinch), soft butter. Mix well and put 1/3 between skin and meat, put 3-5 bay leaves between skin and meat. Smear rest of butter mixture over outside of chicken, add a cup of water and bake covered with foil. 1/2 through remove foil and turn chicken.

- let chicken cool, debone (and skin) , reserve liquid and carcass (to make stock later)

- fill pot 1/2 with water and add reserved juices and chicken. (I will use carcass instead if I want to make a lot of dumplings- boil, stain and return liquid to pot)
- bring to low simmer
*** Important- add next ingredients to pot before taking liquid out to make dumplings!
- add - to taste - salt/pepper/onion&garlic powder if needed.
*** a well seasoned stock will flavor your dumplings later. After all, who wants to bite into a plain tasting dumpling?
Add 1 c milk, 1/2 heavy cream (a must for heart stopping dumplings!) - stir and taste for seasoning.
Turn on low while making dumplings.

Dumplings
- Remove 1 or 1 1/2 cups liquid and set aside to cook slightly. Add 2 tsps of lard into liquid and let melt. (We render our own when process hogs in late fall/winter)
- I large (large) bowl add 3-5 cups of sifted flour. (You’re making an East Tennessee pot of dumplings... and my granny always made enough for drop-in guests as they seem to show up when dumplings are made!) or, adjust cups to your needs.
- pour a little liquid into flour and mix until you have a dry-ish biscuit consistency.
- turn stock up to a medium simmer, just below boiling (don’t forget you’ve got milk and heavy cream in there... don’t even think about leaving it out! LOL)
- roll out thin and cut (I use a pizza cutter) into squares/rectangles/whatever you like shapes/sizes, or - skip this step and make drop dumplings!
- I will often sprinkle a pinch (or three) of flour over the dumplings and give ‘em a fluff so that they don’t get sticky.
- once stock is simmering drop dumplings into it a few at a time, stirring now and again to keep them from sticking - until all are added. (Or, as many as you need. Stick the rest onto a cookie sheet, freeze, then put into a bag (I vacuum seal), and freeze for later use.
- once dumplings are added, turn heat down to a low simmer. I use a flat wooden spatula to keep bottom clean - stirring gently as required.
- when dumplings are almost done add chicken, now shredded, back into pot.
Cook til done, and serve with veggie sides of choice.

TIP
I often (90% of the time) add a bag of frozen mixed veggies in when I add the chicken to the pot. (Carrots, green beans, peas, and corn)
Delicious!!!
Make a big pitcher(s) of sweet tea, call friends & family over to share and enjoy!

(It may sound complicated, but, it’s not... just several steps. To make it easier, prep ahead!.
- When cooking chicken for another meal add an additional chicken in and cook, shred, and freeze for later use.
- use the carcasses to make stock with leftover vegetable scraps and freeze in meal portions.

Best wishes!

My mother cut up the fryer like one would do for fried chicken. Then she would S/P then dredge in flour. Then brown all sides in butter. (My mom ALWAYS fried her chicken in only butter-never oil) After would add veggies and stock. Let simmer until all melded and chicken done. Then top with the dollops of dumplings and let cook/steam. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! No noodles, no shreds of chicken. Yes, there were bones but that plus browned bits in the pot from browning the chicken pieces made for more flavor. Her veggies in the cooking process were celery and onion. Seasonings were thyme and sage. When she removed the chicken pieces for serving they were tender and full of rich flavor. She served with mashed potatoes too because the cooking process made a fantastic gravy for chicken, dumplings and the taters. COMPLETELY DROOL-WORTHY!!!!

This was not the best dumpling recipe, I had to throw them out and redo. Gummy texture and no flavor. Definitely needs some work.

I have made this recipe a few times and it is good and not too much work. She is right that the pepper is important.

Can I use for or five chicken breast instead of a whole chicken

My Mom's recipe is very simular. We use all purpose flour but add 1/2 to 1 tsp soda to 3 or 4 cups of flour. Don't use to much or you will definitely taste it. We use bacon drippings instead of butter, oil or lard. I've used each of these and the best flavor comes with the bacon drippings. As for stirring Mom's dumplings...it was a big NO! Mom would fuss at anyone who went near her stock pot. She would bring her broth to a rolling boil, roll out about a quarter of the dough about an 1/8 inch thick keeping the dough well floured. Cut into strips. She fan folded strips in her hand and then laid the strips across the boiling broth being careful not to put strips on top of strips. Once she had the top of the broth covered she used a spoon to gently push the strips under the broth. Repeat until all strips were in the broth. Turn down heat to medium low, cover and let cook for at least 5 minutes. Never put in more strips than the broth can cover. My poor sister-in-law has tried for years and still can't make them, LOL! My brothers come home so I can make dumplings for them!