Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and dumplings is the one dish that everyone in the family will eat.  It is delicious, comforting, and when prepared my way, guilt free.

To begin, get a large sauce pan heating over medium heat with some olive oil.  To this add some diced yellow onion.  I prefer Vadalia when available. 

 

Stir occasionally and cook until they become translucent.  Once this happens, add some celery for company.

Allow these to simmer for two or three minutes, then add some carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and shredded chicken.  I took the picture before putting in the chicken, but believe me, this is where you want to throw it in the pot.

**Note:  On the topic of chicken, I use precooked shredded chicken that I make in the crock pot.  A rotisserie chicken can be used, or just add chopped boneless breast at this point and sautée until chicken is fully cooked.**

Let all those guys get acquainted for a bit, then pour in some water and chicken bullion cubes.

Put a lid on the pot, bump up the heat, and bring the soup to a boil.  While you wait for that to happen, follow the directions on the Bisquick box to make dumpling dough. I use skim milk when making dumplings and they are fantastic.

About 10 minutes later, drop the dumpling dough into the soup in small balls.  Mine are about 2 tablespoons of dough per ball.  Once all the dumplings are in the pot, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the dumplings are completely cooked.  Gently push the dumplings under the broth once or twice to help them along.

Uncover to reveal this.  Or something very similar.

Ladle into bowls with as many or few dumplings as desired.  Enjoy.

Prep Time:  15 minutes  Cook time:  30 minutes  Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken, precooked and shredded*
6 cups water
6 bullion cubes
2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

Preparation Instructions

In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until they become translucent.  Add the celery and cook for two minutes.  Add the carrots, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until all the seasonings are well incorporated. 

Pour the water and bullion cubes into the pan, and increase heat to bring the soup to a slow boil.  Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat and place a lid on the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup simmers, combine Bisquick and milk in a medium size bowl. Drop dough into the boiling soup 2 tablespoons at a time to form dumplings.  Once all the dough is in the pot, cover and cook an additional 10 minutes over low heat.  Stir dumplings occasionally.  Enjoy.

* Each week I prepare 3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast in my crock pot to shred and have on hand for recipes later in the week.  Season the breast with salt and coarse ground black pepper, then place them in the crock pot with 2 cups of chicken stock, and cook on low for 8 hours.