Leftover Rotisserie Chicken and Dumplings

This is comfort in a bowl. When I look back at my childhood, this dish stands out in my mind as being one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. My Mom insists that chicken and dumplings must be made with her mom's - my grandma's - dumpling recipe. Though there have only been a couple times in my life when I have had chicken and dumplings that made from a different recipe (and clearly not in my parent's home) - I would have to agree. There's something so wonderful about the light and fluffy dumplings that I grew up with - other recipes can't hold a candle to the delicious result of the recipe I'll be sharing today. Whatever you do please, please, please NEVER use refrigerated biscuit dough for the "dumplings" in chicken in dumplings. I have had this one time in college - a poor version of the dish made with chicken broth, pre-cooked chicken and...maybe...just maybe some vegetables, I cannot remember if those were included or not. Though that thrown together soup was palatable, the heavy balls of dough were not - and seemed to further expand in my stomach post-consumption. Therefore, make your own dumplings - they are just as easy to make as opening one of those pressurized dough rolls...perhaps even easier since those don't always open - you slowly peel the seal on the container, anxiously anticipating the "POP" that happens to open the roll...only to get frustrated when you reach the bottom of the package having heard no pop - resorting to slamming the package on the counter to get it open. That's my experience at least.

I'll start with the recipe that my Mom sent to be for a true Chicken and Dumplings - made with an uncooked chicken. My version was a shortcut since I had leftover rotisserie chicken from a few nights back.

Nell's Chicken and Dumplings

1 (5-pound) stewing chicken, cut into service pieces
4 cups water
3 stalks celery with leaves, cleaned and cut into 1" chunks
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup coasrsely chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk
Biscuit Dumplings (recipe to follow)
2 teaspoons minced parsley

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large Dutch oven with close-fitting cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, or until chicken is very tender. Skim fat from broth. Remove chicken pieces and keep warm. Strain broth, measure, and add enough water to make 3 cups liquid. In covered jar shake flour and 1/2 cup milk together until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk. Return broth to Dutch oven and bring to boil. Stir in flour-milk mixture and cook until thickened slightly, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. return chicken pieces to gravy and cover. Prepare dumplings. Drop dumpling mixture by tablespoonfuls into gently bubbling gravy. Cover pan at once and cook 15 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Grandma Carstens' Dumplings:

Mix:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp baking powder

Cut it:
3 TBS shortening

Mix:
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs

Add to other mixture.

Drop into chicken soup/gravy mixture in tablespoon-fuls. Cook for 15 minutes. Don't take cover off pan while cooking.


Now I must say that I did a slight modification of the dumplings that I will likely not do again, at least not with additional tweaking. I used half wheat flour, half all-purpose. The flavor was still great as I love wheat flour. However, the fluffiness was compromised just a little bit. To me, fluffiness > "healthy" wheat.

I also did a half recipe, PLENTY for two people.


And now for my modified Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Soup for the Chicken and Dumplings

I'm writing this as a full recipe, though I technically only did half since I just had a half chicken left.

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed, coarsely shredded and set aside
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
4 stalks celery with leaves, cleaned and cut into 1" chunks
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk
Biscuit Dumplings

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large Dutch oven with close-fitting cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is very tender. Skim fat from broth. Remove chicken carcass, thyme, bay leaf, and celery leaves. Mix flour and 1/2 cup milk together until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk. Return broth to Dutch oven and bring to boil. Stir in flour-milk mixture and cook until thickened slightly, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and cook for about 10 minutes more. Prepare dumplings. Drop dumpling mixture by tablespoonfuls into gently bubbling gravy. Cover pan at once and cook 15 minutes.


Like is said, comfort in a bowl. Honestly. Simple ingredients but it is so good. It's a one dish meal - complete with protein, vegetables, and a starch. I think I did my Grandma proud.