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Mother's Old-Fashioned Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Mother's Old-Fashioned Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Image Credit:
Sam Jones/Vaughn Communications
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Category
Poultry
Course
Main Dish
Preparation Method
Boil
Sources
Old Farmer's Almanac Contests

Shirley Wollard Woodlock of Texas learned to make chicken and dumplings while watching her mother, Jennie Wollard Nunn. “Hers were made to perfection,” recalls Shirley. “She would always say, ‘Don’t forget the bay leaves and the pepper.’” Now Shirley always makes her mother’s chicken and dumplings to bring to Wollard family reunions. The recipe was passed down from Shirley’s grandmother, who grew up in the hills of Tennessee.

Editors’ note: Today, this is one of our readers’ all-time favorite recipes! Whether you make your dumplings in strips, balls, or squares, all are acceptable forms. “Dumplings,” simply put, refer to small pieces of dough that can be savory or sweet. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 whole fryer chicken or hen
4 to 5 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
4 to 6 tablespoons butter
pepper, to taste
Dumplings:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup water
2 small eggs
3 cups flour

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken and place into a large Dutch oven. Cover well with plenty of water and add bay leaves. Add salt and pepper, and the butter (the more butter, the richer the dish). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is well done, about 1 hour.

2. Remove the chicken from the broth. Discard the bay leaves. When the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bone and return the deboned chicken to the broth. About 1/2 to 3/4 pot of broth should remain.

3. For dumplings: In a large bowl, mix together the salt, oil, water, and eggs. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, blending it constantly with a fork. Stir only long enough to mix the dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Pinch the dough in half, and roll out until thin, about 1/4 inch. Slice the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips, and cross-slice into pieces 4 to 8 inches long, for ease in handling.

5. Bring the broth and chicken back to a boil, and pepper well to taste. Drop the dumpling strips into the boiling stock. Boil approximately 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the dumplings are done (they’ll be puffy). Most of the broth will be absorbed. Serve with red pinto beans and corn bread.

About The Author

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

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Comments

<span>Martha</span> Wed, 10/16/2019 - 16:05
Can I use for or five chicken breast instead of a whole chicken
<span>Melissa</span> Wed, 10/16/2019 - 17:48
You could use just chicken beast. But be aware, the flavor of the final dish will not be as full flavored or rich. Your best bet is add some legs and/or thighs to those breasts for the best out come. Otherwise your meal will be on the bland side.
<span>Reba</span> Tue, 10/15/2019 - 06:52
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!
<span>Katherine S. Hadsell</span> Thu, 10/11/2018 - 07:41
This is what my family has called Chicken Pastry for many generations. I have heard it called Chicken Slick and Chicken and Dumplings but it is all fairly the same dish. Some use Crisco, oil, butter but my Grandma always used lard because that is what she had on hand. Some like them thick while others like the thin. It is all a matter of what you like. Best dish to eat no matter what the weather or season. If you have never tried it you don't know what you are missing. Good food, good company, and a glass of sweet iced tea is all you need to make it an occasion.
<span>Uncle T</span> Thu, 10/11/2018 - 07:08
My wife uses my great grandmother's recipe for chicken and dumplings. In true Southern fashion it calls for a "lump of shortening or lard the size of a chicken egg". The dough is rolled thin and cut before going into the simmering broth. For us, chicken and dumplings are the meal accompanied at most by some cornbread.
<span>David Fowler</span> Fri, 05/04/2018 - 20:05
The recipe says to bake the dish. On what temperature and for how long?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 05/07/2018 - 14:42

The recipe should have been classified under "Boil." We've corrected it.

 <span>Nancy Skipper</span> Mon, 11/13/2017 - 08:46
I add black pepper and a pinch of poultry season to my dumpling dough and I use buttermilk - no eggs. They are fluffy and flavorful.
<span>Nancy Skipper</span> Mon, 11/13/2017 - 09:00
I also use SR flour, and I make the dough just like I do for buttermilk biscuits, adding the pepper & poultry seasoning, and drop the dumplings into the stew broth made with water and cream of chicken soup - undiluted. Milk may be added if desired after the boiling is down to a simmer.
<span>Gwen</span> Sat, 10/28/2017 - 18:42
I used the canned pizza dough in the cooler where the canned biscuits are, came out really good.