Chicken and Dumplings

Original Recipe from:  Virgina Bowers-Johnson

Hot and hardy, this is a meal that “sticks to your ribs!”  When mom told us she was making Chicken and Dumplings for dinner, no one ever missed the meal and we always brought our appetites.  This dish has to be the ultimate in comfort food! 

This recipe has never been written down before.  It was one of those recipes that only existed in my mom’s head.  I learned to make it at her side.  Watching at first, then she would let me do a step…one at a time, until I could make it “her way” all on my own.  That process took years, and I enjoyed every moment of those times in the kitchen with mom!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, boiled

2-3 tablespoons GFS Roasted Chicken Base

1 cup Wondra flour

1 cup cold water

2-1/4 cup Bisquick

2/3 cup milk

Directions

Boil chicken in large pot with plenty of water.  You will need 12 cups of broth from the chicken.  Boil until done, at least 1-1.5 hours.  I usually do this step the day before and refrigerate the chicken and broth (separately) overnight.  Refrigerating makes easy work of skinning and working with the chicken.  If making the full recipe in one day, let chicken cool thoroughly before proceeding.  Pour chicken broth into a container and refrigerate.  Skimming the fat off the refrigerated broth, before using, makes a healthier option for an old-fashioned recipe. 

Remove skin from the cooked chicken.

Take chicken off the bones.  I wear gloves and remove the chicken by hand.  Mom taught me to tear the chicken into chunks rather than dicing it.  She was a very “hands-on” kind of cook.  I believe it was her way of cooking from the soul.  If you prefer more uniform pieces of chicken, I would recommend you dice the chicken into a medium size chunk.  Set the chicken aside while preparing the gravy. 

In a large pot measure out 12 cups of chicken broth.  Note:  if you run short, add canned chicken broth, low sodium is best.  Heat to a low boil.

Add 2-3 tablespoons GFS Chicken Base, to taste.  Note:  Chicken Bullion is not a good substitute for Chicken Base in this recipe.

In a small mixing bowl mix 1 cup Wondra flour with 1 cup water.  Whisk until smooth. 

Add flour mixture to boiling chicken stock.  Whisking constantly for smoothness over medium-high heat.  Once gravy has started to thicken, reduce heat to a simmer. 

Add chicken chunks to the gravy.  Taste the gravy; add more Chicken Base if needed (about a teaspoon at a time until desired taste is reached).  Simmer for at least 20 minutes.  Gravy will be a little on the thin side in consistency.

Dumplings

In a medium mixing bowl mix 2 cups Bisquick with 2/3 cup Milk until soft dough forms. 

Bring gravy to a low boil. 

Drop dumpling mix by large spoonfuls onto boiling gravy.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. 

Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Makes 8-10 dumplings. 

Ready to Serve – Enjoy!