Easy Chicken and Dumplings

See this cute recipe box?  It was my mom’s.  I love that most of  the recipes in the box are in her own handwriting.  This easy chicken and dumplings recipe I’m sharing with you came from that little box and is a very simple one. Sometimes I just want some easy comfort food (don’t you?), and it’s definitely that.

This is a very simple recipe that can be thrown together in no time.

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Ingredients for Easy Chicken and Dumplings

• A cut up chicken (or some chicken breasts) Chicken with the skin will make it more flavorful.

• 1 can chicken broth (14 1/2 oz)  

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 ribs of celery, sliced

• Chicken bouillon cube (I don’t use it, and it’s still good.)

• Salt and Pepper to taste (1 or 2 teaspoons salt, about 1/2 teaspoon pepper) Less salt if you use the bouillon. I start with 1 teaspoon salt and almost always add more before serving.
• Dried thyme and dried sage (Although my mom’s recipe didn’t include these, I love to add dried thyme and dried sage.)

For the dumplings:

• 1 1/2 cups flour  

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons shortening  I use a natural, non-hydrogenated shortening.

• 3/4 cup milk  I use almond milk or rice milk due to milk allergy, (but my mom always used regular milk, and they’re probably better that way!)

How to Make Easy Chicken and Dumplings

• First, place the chicken, chicken broth, onion, celery, and salt, pepper, thyme, and sage in a large pot with enough water to cover the chicken, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the inside of the chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees internal temperature. I go by color.)  Cooking  time will vary — boneless breasts may take only 25 minutes, while a whole cut up chicken might take 45 minutes.  (Hint–If you’re in a hurry, using boneless, skinless chicken breasts eliminates the tedious process of pulling the meat from the bones. Not quite as tasty, since it’s lower fat that way, though!)

• When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot, let it cool, remove the bones and skin, pull or cut the chicken into pieces, and return it to the pot.

• Now, mix up the dumplings:

Measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Cut in the shortening thoroughly until the mixture looks like meal.  Stir in the milk, just until combined. (Don’t overwork the dough, or the dumplings might not be as fluffy.) Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the hot soup.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover and cook a few minutes longer.

Notes:

• If you would like a thicker soup, you can make a cornstarch slurry to add to the hot soup, as it’s cooking. Mix cornstarch and cool water together in a ratio of 2 to 1, cornstarch to water. (So you can start with about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of cool water, and go up from there, if needed.) Whisk that together and add to the simmering soup.

• If you use a wide pot, vs. a tall one, you will get more dumplings across the top layer.

That’s it! See, I told you it was easy.  Even the picky eater in our family likes this, and I hope you enjoy it too. Are you feeling the need for some warm comfort food today?

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday at Create with Joy, A Morning Cup of Joe at The Cottage Market, Two Chicks and a Mom, The Answer is Chocolate, Shabby Art Boutique, Simply Sweet Home, Sum of Their Stories, Keeping it Real, A Pinch of Joy, Sew Can Do, Mostly Blogging, LouLou Girls, Jenerally Informed