Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 4-5 pound fryer chicken whole or cut up
- Chicken stock to just cover the chicken
- *If you use water, add 1/2 onion, 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper
- 4 cups flour
- 3/4 cups crisco shortening
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup plus more if needed, hot chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the chicken and enough chicken stock to cover. Add a whole chicken or cut up. If I cut up, I add the dark parts first and cook 30 minutes, then I add the breast and cook until done or the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken and when cook enough to handle, shred or cut the chicken into pieces and set aside. (If you you are starting with water add the onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves. After cooking, remove the chicken, strain the broth discarding the vegetables. Add the stock back to the pan for the dumplings).
- Bring the stock up to a medium boil. Place the flour and salt into a bowl. Work in the shortening until becomes like coarse meal. Add the hot broth, starting with 1 cup adding more if needed until the dough completely comes together and you are able to roll out without crumbling. Roll out about a quarter inch and cut into about 3 inch by 1 inch pieces. Add a piece at a time to the boil of the broth, using a knife occasionally to make an open space to add the next dumpling. When all the dumplings have been added, lower the heat to a simmer, place a cover and set it ajar, and cook the dumplings for about 20 minutes until done. When done, check for salt and pepper. Add the Chicken and serve immediately. If you have leftovers, you will need to add water to loosen as your dumplings will absorb the broth when stored in the refrigerator.