GRANDMA'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Grandma knew how to feed us.
Her Chicken and Dumplings is a meal in itself. The aroma when you got home on a cold winter day would set your mouth watering.

The dumplings were always light and satisfying.
Give it a try. Your family is sure to enjoy it.
And if you want to cut down on preparation time, then try some of the tips at the end of this page.

GRANDMA'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1 fryer (2½ to 3 lb/1.25 Kg to 1.4 Kg)          chicken
6 cups (1.5 L)                                            cold water
3                                                               chicken bouillon cubes
6                                                               peppercorns
3                                                               whole cloves

Soup Base

1 can (10¾ oz)                                          chicken broth
1 can (10¾ oz)                                          cream of chicken soup
1 can (10¾ oz)                                          cream mushroom soup
1 cup (250 ml)                                           chopped celery
1½ cups (310 ml)                                       chopped carrots
¼ cup (60 ml)                                            chopped onion
1 cup (250 ml)                                           chopped potatoes
1 small                                                      bay leaf
1 cup (250 ml)                                          fresh or frozen peas
1 tsp (5 ml)                                                seasoned salt
Cooked fryer, cut in bite-sized pieces
Reserved chicken broth, strained

Feather Dumplings
2 cups (500 ml)                                       flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml)                                    salt
¼ teaspoon (1.5 ml)                                white or black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml)                               melted butter
4 teaspoon (20 ml)                                   baking powder
1                                                            egg, well beaten
2/3 cup (170 ml)                                      milk

Place fryer, water, bouillon, peppercorns and cloves in large soup pot and bring to boil.
Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is tender about 1½ hr( 30 minutes in pressure cooker at 10 lb pressure; 15 minutes if using chicken pieces).
Cool chicken just slightly; cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Strain and skim chicken broth. Put reserved chicken and broth in soup pot; add cans of broth, chicken and mushroom soups, celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, bay leaf, peas and seasoned salt.
Put cover on pot; simmer soup on low heat for 2 to 3 hours (5 minutes in pressure cooker without cream soups; add cream soups after and heat uncovered)

About 30 minutes before serving, mix up feather dumplings by sifting dry ingredients together. Add egg melted butter and enough milk to make moist stiff batter.
Drop by teaspoons into boiling liquid. Cook covered and without peeking for 18 to 20 minutes or until dumplings are done.

To speed up preparation here are some tricks and tips

Use a cooked chicken from the delicatessen. Strip the meat from the carcass. The carcass can be frozen and used to make broth in the Slow Cooker (crock pot) later.
Use 1 liter of canned chicken broth instead of home-made.
Turkey can be substituted in place of chicken meat. So whenever you have left-over turkey, just freeze it for this recipe.
Use frozen vegetables
A pressure-cooker is also one way of having chicken and dumplings soup on quicker.

PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:
After dropping dumpling batter over boiling liquid, cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover cooker with GASKET REMOVED and allow a small stream of steam to escape from vent tube for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Open cover when steam stops flowing.

If you enjoyed this
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
try the others which can be found at
Chicken | Turkey | Cooking methods, recipes and flavorings

Do you have any interesting cooking stories?

Maybe a successful new recipe you prepared that your family loved.

What are your families favorite festive holiday recipes?

Maybe, a not-so-successful cooking experience. Lend us your experience so we won't make the same mistake.

I remember making biscuits and adding baking soda instead of baking powder. The biscuits looked fine but were very salty and bitter.

Tell us your story or recipe by submitting them here.......

What is Your Best Food Dish That Your Make?

Have your a favorite dish that you get asked to prepare often?

This would be a great place to share the recipe.

View it on the web and tell your friends about it.

Enter Your Title

Tell Us Your Story. Share your recipe or cooking tip. [ ? ]