Nanas Southern Chicken Dumplings Recipes

FARM-STYLE CHICKEN AND DROP DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the soup: Place the chicken pieces and the backbones in a large pot and cover with 16 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and poach the chicken until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Use tongs to remove the chicken pieces and set aside to cool; discard the backbones. Once the chicken cools enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, shred and roughly chop; set aside. Strain the chicken broth and keep warm.
• In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and stir in the carrots, garlic, celery, leeks, onions and poultry seasoning. Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, then stir in the flour.
• Add the reserved chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the soup thickens slightly and vegetables soften, about 25 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and bring the soup back to a low simmer.
• For the dumplings: In a medium bowl, add the flour. Use two butter knives to cut in the milk, butter, baking powder, salt and eggs. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary. The dough should be moist but not too wet.
• Pull the dough into 1/4-cup pieces and place directly in the simmering soup; cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

NANA'S SOUTHERN CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Boil 2-3 split chicken breasts in low-sodium chicken broth & water.
• While the chicken is boiling, lay out a large area of wax paper.
• Sift 3 cups of self-rising flour into a mixing bowl.
• Slowly pour 1 - 1/2 cups ice water into flour - roll into a dough ball. (If you have excess flour, use to coat wax paper.).
• Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to desired consistency. (I prefer thin dumplings, but you may create your dumplings in any consistency you like.).
• Cut rolled out dough with a knife or pizza cutter into small or medium squares.
• Check on your boiling chicken. Once the chicken breast separates, take the meat off the bone.
• Make sure broth is boiling and slowly place dumplings in with the chicken and broth. (Do not drop all dumplings in at once or they will stick together.).
• Season dumplings with salt and pepper to your liking. (I do not use salt since chicken broth is high in sodium, but lots of pepper really makes the dumplings taste good!).
• While the dumplings are finishing, prepare long-grain white rice using low-sodium chicken broth instead of water.

SOUTHERN CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Place the chicken breasts into the pot, skin-side-down. Pour in the chicken broth, and enough water to just cover the breasts. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken begins to fall off the bone, about 1 hour. Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Remove and discard the skin and bone; allow the meat to cool, then tear apart into bite sized chunks.
• While the chicken breast are simmering, prepare the dumpling dough by whisking the flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt together in a mixing bowl. Work the vegetable shortening in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Make a well in the middle and pour in the milk. Stir together until a stiff dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth. Form the dough into 12 pieces, and set aside.
• After you've shredded the chicken, stir the cream of chicken soup, 2 cups water, salt, pepper, and shredded chicken back into the pot. Return to a simmer over medium-high heat. Drop the dumplings into the simmering broth one at a time to keep them from sticking together. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the dumplings have puffed and are no longer doughy in the center, 10 to 20 minutes.

SOUTHERN CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine chicken, salt and pepper in a large pot and cover with water. Cook until chicken is tender.
• Remove chicken from water.
• Remove bone and skin.
• Set chicken aside (while chicken is cooking, prepare dumplings.).
• Dumplings: In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and shortening with a fork.
• Add egg and 1/2 cup milk; mix to form dough.
• Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface.
• Cut into four-inch strips with sharp knife.
• Drop dumplings into simmering chicken broth.
• Cover and simmer until dumplings are done.
• Add chicken to dumplings and 1 cup milk.
• Cook slowly for 10 minutes.