Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Ingredients

5-6 lb. stewing chicken or 2 large fryers cut up
2 sprigs parsley
4 celery ribs with leaves
1 carrot pared and sliced
1 small onion cut up
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons snipped parsley

Directions

In a dutch oven or large kettle add enough water to cover chicken. Add parsley sprigs, celery carrot, onion, the 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and bay leaf. Cover; bring to boiling and simmer for 2 1/2 hours or till meat is tender. Sift together flour, baking powder and the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine milk, and oil; add with snipped parsley to dry ingredients; stir just to moisten. Remove the large meaty pieces of chicken and keep warm in the oven. There should still be lots of broth; remove and save all but 1 or 2 cups of it for the gravy. Leave the rest of the broth in the pan along with the bony pieces of chicken. Drop the dumplings from a tablespoon directly onto the chicken in boiling broth. Cover tightly; return to boiling. Reduce heat (don't lift cover simmer); 12 to 15 minutes. Remove dumplings and chicken to hot platter; and keep in oven until ready to serve.
For chicken gravy strain the broth you've kept plus any left after the dumplings to measure a quart of broth. Heat till boiling. Combine 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup cold water; gradually add to broth; mixing well. Cook stirring constantly, till mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I remove the meaty pieces from the pan so all the pieces don't have dumplings stuck to them. Also removing some of the broth keeps the dumplings from becoming too gummy. If you want the chicken to have more color you could brown it slightly in the roaster before adding the water and vegetables. This serves 6 - 8 people.

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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: my files
Submitted By: Sheila Nelson
nednelson@msn.com
Chicken and Dumplings