These chicken and dumplings bring back memories of my Mom’s exceptional comfort food. Despite being around 90 years old, she continued to make the most delicious chicken and dumplings until she could no longer be in the kitchen. I can still taste her dumplings. What an amazing comfort food dumplings are, right?
I don’t share many pictures of them because they are challenging to capture in a visually appealing way due to their somewhat plain appearance. However, their taste far surpasses their visual appeal, packing an incredible burst of flavor!
One of the reasons they are so flavorful is that I actually cook my chicken that I’ll use in the dumplings in chicken stock. I always have homemade chicken stock in my freezer. You can leave the chicken whole or you can cut up before adding to the stock. I cut mine up because I add the dark meat first and cook for 30 minutes, then I add the breast and cook just until they are done or the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. I just don’t want the breast to be dry. Also, because I’m using chicken stock that was prepared with onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and seasonings, you don’t have to do this while using stock.
If you do use plain water, you will need to add onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to season the broth. Then you would remove your chicken, strain your broth and discard the vegetables to have just the broth left for your dumplings.
What you will need to make this dish:
- 4-5 pound fryer chicken whole or cut up
- Chicken stock to just cover the chicken
- *If you don’t have chicken stock already prepared, use water, add 1/2 onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper
- All purpose flour
- Crisco shortening
- more hot chicken stock for making the dumplings
- salt and pepper to taste
easy southern chicken and dumplings
I also use the hot chicken stock to make the dumplings. The dumplings are just flour, crisco shortening, salt and the hot chicken stock. The hot chicken stock makes a very nice, easy to roll out dough.
I like to use a large pot for cooking the chicken and the final dish. I used an 8 quart stock pot similar to this https://amzn.to/3gO1R6x3.
I like this because I can also use it on an induction burner that requires a certain material.
I have a little different dumpling recipe that adds carrots and peas that is maybe more like a soup. Here’s the recipe for those dumplings: Chicken and Dumplings – ultimate comfort food.
Here’s the new recipe! Enjoy!
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound fryer chicken whole or cut up
- Chicken stock to just cover the chicken
- *If you use water, add 1/2 onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper
- 4 cups flour
- 3/4 cups crisco shortening
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup plus more if needed, hot chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the chicken and enough chicken stock to cover. Add a whole chicken or cut up. If I cut up, I add the dark parts first and cook 30 minutes, then I add the breast and cook until done or the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken and when cook enough to handle, shred or cut the chicken into pieces and set aside. (If you you are starting with water add the onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves. After cooking, remove the chicken, strain the broth discarding the vegetables. Add the stock back to the pan for the dumplings).
- Bring the stock up to a medium boil. Place the flour and salt into a bowl. Work in the shortening until becomes like coarse meal. Add the hot broth, starting with 1 cup adding more if needed until the dough completely comes together and you are able to roll out without crumbling. Roll out about a quarter inch and cut into about 3 inch by 1 inch pieces. Add a piece at a time to the boil of the broth, using a knife occasionally to make an open space to add the next dumpling. When all the dumplings have been added, lower the heat to a simmer, place a cover and set it ajar, and cook the dumplings for about 20 minutes until done. When done, check for salt and pepper. Add the Chicken and serve immediately. If you have leftovers, you will need to add water to loosen as your dumplings will absorb the broth when stored in the refrigerator.