Homemade Chicken & Dumplings is the epitome of hearty home-style cooking, and is requested often in my house! I enjoy roasting my own chicken and making homemade stock, which fills the house with a heavenly aroma of loving goodness, and I can pretty much guarantee a visit from one (or more) of the kids. Yes, this empty-nester shamelessly allures our “twenty-somethings” back to the homestead with home-cooked meals and desserts whenever possible–they get a meal and I get hugs!
INGREDIENTS
Roasted Chicken Meat and 1 Qt Roasted Chicken Stock (click here for recipes)
4 Cups Water
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Butter or Shortening
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Cream (or Half & Half)
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix together flour, baking power, butter or shortening (either works great, you could even do 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening). The mixture will be dry with small pebble-sized lumps, stir in milk until a dough is formed. If the mixture is sticky add a little more flour. Divide dough into 2 parts, working with one part at a time.
On a liberally floured surface, roll 1 part of the dough into a 1/8″ thick oblong shape then sprinkle a light dusting of flour on top (the extra flour will help thicken the broth). Using a pastry cutter, pizza cutter or just a sharp knife, cut dough into strips then cut the opposite way to form dumplings around 1″ to 1 1/2″ in length. I tend to go pretty free-form on the dumpling making – for this recipe, precision isn’t absolutely necessary! But do note that they will increase in size during the cooking process! Repeat with the remaining dough.
In a 4 qt stock pot bring chicken stock and water to a steady boil. Add dumplings one or two at a time to the boiling stock. The dumplings will sink at first, but will rise to the top within 30 seconds. Continue adding dumplings while stirring the pot until all the dumplings are in. Cover Pot and gently boil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, uncover pot, add chicken, stir in cream and bring to a nice simmer for 5 minutes. Add Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!!!
