Southern Chicken And Pastry Recipes

SOUTHERN CHICKEN PASTRY

Steps:

• Place hen or chicken in a large pot with enough water to cover. (You could also use several chicken breasts instead of whole chicken.).
• Cook on low-medium heat until done. Remove the chicken from the pot. Keep the broth in the pot. You will cook the dumplings in this broth.
• Cool the chicken until you can remove the skin and bones. (I usually shred the chicken, but you can cube it if you wish.).
• Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt and shortening with a fork until it resembles crumbs.
• Add milk and mix well.
• Roll out to about 1/8 inch on floured waxed paper or on a floured counter.
• Let set for about 30 minutes while you debone and shred cooked chicken.
• Cut the dough into strips. (I usually use a pizza cutter for this & cut the strips about 1"x2 or 3" wide.).
• Put the chicken and 1/3 cup butter into the broth in the pot.
• Bring the broth to a boil.
• Drop the dough strips into the boiling broth, one at a time.
• Simmer for 30 minutes, then serve in bowls.
• NOTE: I usually double the amount of dumpling dough. My family likes lots of dumplings. I have made this ahead by freezing the cut dumplings on a cookie sheet, then transferring to a zip-lock bag. Freeze the broth with shredded chicken in a separate container. When you're ready to eat them, just heat the broth & chicken to a boil (thaw dumplings while heating broth) and drop in the dumplings & cook according to directions.

SOUTHERN STYLE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a heavy pot with a lid place the chicken, onion, lemon, salt, pepper, water, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer all over low heat until tender, about 1 hour.
• Let chicken cool slightly in pot, then remove and take the meat off of the bones. Discard the bones and skin and skim excess fat off the broth if desired. Discard the onion, lemon and bay leaf. If desired, wash out pot well. Return broth and chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer over low heat while making the dumplings.
• To Make Dumplings: In a medium mixing bowl, cut shortening into the flour and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup water (more if needed) to form a soft dough. Roll out dough on a floured surface, with a rolling pin, until very thin. Cut into 1 inch wide strips using a pizza cutter or knife. Tear off 1 inch long pieces from these strips and drop into simmering broth and chicken meat. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off, then 10 minutes more with the lid on. Serve immediately.

EASY CHICKEN-N-PASTRY

Steps:

• Rinse chicken and discard giblets.
• In a large pot boil the chicken with bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• Remove the chicken to a platter to cool; once cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones.
• Skim the fat from the broth and add enough water to get 4 or 5 qts (I use a skimmer cup).
• Bring broth to a rolling boil and drop the frozen pastry strips in a few at a time, stirring to separate and return to a boil before dropping in more.
• When all the strips are in the pot, reduce heat to medium-low and let boil a few minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and stir in chicken meat and cream of chicken soup, stirring until chicken soup is incorporated.
• Season to taste with black pepper- should already be salty enough from the cream of chicken soup, but taste and add salt if necessary.
• Remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• I serve this with cornbread; green peas are a good side dish.