Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

After collecting the boys from school on Thursday, I was going to stop by the store and grab something for dinner.  It surprises some people that I don't have all of my recipes memorized, but I don't, so I took a quick look at Pinterest before leaving the school.  I had just pinned a new recipe for chicken and dumplings the day before, so it was right at the top of my Soup, Salad, Sandwich, and Bread board.  I realized I had everything at home to make the recipe work, so I didn't have to stop by the store...yay!

Traditionally, a whole chicken is boiled for "real" chicken and dumplings, but I decided to go the healthier route and use the skinless, boneless chicken breasts I already had.  When I boil chicken, I add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of a variety of herbs and spices from my cabinet...garlic salt and/or garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, dried marjoram, dried thyme, ground mustard, crushed rosemary, chipotle chile pepper powder (just a smidge of this), parsley flakes, ground red pepper (just a smidge), cajun seasoning, Emeril's Original Essence, and ground black pepper.  I know this probably sounds like a horrible hodge podge of ingredients, but it makes a very yummy chicken broth after the chicken boils.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk, a bit less than 1 cup
10 chicken bouillon cubes
5 - 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Lots of herbs and spices

Preparation Instructions
Add the chicken and spices and herbs to a large stock pot.  Cover with plenty of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let semi-boil for about 30 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside.  Add the 10 bouillon cubes to the chicken broth.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter. I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.
Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eye ball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.
Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.
To cook them, bring the broth to a boil.    Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they're not doughy tasting. Cut up the chicken while the dumplings are boiling.  Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!  You might need to add a little salt to taste.

Print Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Happy country cooking!

Collette :)