Chicken and Dumplings

So chicken and dumplings are usually only difficult and time consuming when you made your own dumplings from scratch and you use a whole chicken. Two things I use to do. I still love dumplings from scratch but sometimes I do use the biscuits from a can if I'm pressed for time or if I don't feel like making dumplings. My mood varies.  I can't believe that I probably haven't made chicken and dumplings in maybe a year. Okay, maybe not a year but close enough to a year. So much so that Blake was like, "Whats that?" while I was cooking. I let him have a little taste test. "Mmmmm," he said. Once he got his bowl it was "Mmmm this is wonderful. It's so perfect!". Liam had a little "Mmm" too, but he only ate his chicken. At least I have one kid who really appreciates food. 

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

·         4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·         6 cups or 3 cans chicken broth

·         1 can cream of chicken soup

·         1 small onion sliced

·         2 stalks of celery diced

·         2 bay leaves

·         1 tsp black pepper

Two Choices for Dumplings

·         Pillsbury Home style Butter Biscuits, cut in to pieces with scissors

OR

Parsley Dumplings

·         2 cups flour

·         4 tsp baking powder

·         1 tbsp parsley

·         1 pinch of cayenne pepper

·         ¾ to 1 cup of milk 

Directions: In a large pot bring your chicken broth, chicken breast, bay leaves, onion, celery, and pepper to a vigorous boil for about 10 minutes, turn it down to medium to medium high heat and cover for 1 hour. Once chicken is cooked and tender, shred it with a fork. Add your cream of chicken soup. Return to boil. Add your dumplings at this point. If you’re using biscuits just take kitchen scissors and cut each biscuit in to about 6 pieces. If you want to make your own dumplings mix together your dry ingredients very well, and then add ¾ cup milk. If your dumplings are still dry keep adding splashes of milk until they are wet. It should be sticky, and thick. Drop dough by the spoonfuls, about 1 tbsp worth of dough for homemade dumplings. Try to drop the dough away from others until the dough puffs up. After about 2 minutes of boiling, stir around, and add another batch. When all your dough is gone, cover your pot and turn it down to medium-medium high heat again for about 10 minutes. 

I like to serve my chicken and dumplings over rice, with carrots and peas on the side. That’s optional of course. =)