Chicken and Dumplings

 It has been pretty cold here in Texas and this Chicken and Dumplings recipe really hits the spot!  It’s pretty easy to make and freezes wonderfully.  No one really like to read a backstory on recipes so I’m going to skip right to the good part….

Chicken 

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped celery 

1/4 cup flour

2  cartons unsalted chicken stock

Salt

Pepper

4 cups shredded chicken

Thyme 

Dumplings

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons  baking powder

1 teaspoon  salt

1/3 cup grated cold butter

1/2 cup whole milk

Melt butter over low heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender. Sprinkle flour over cook vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Now onto the dumplings, in a large size bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. You can grate your butter on a box cheese grater, add butter into flour mixture. It works best if you mix it together with your hands.  Once combined make a well in the center of mixture and pour in cold milk.  Using a spoon stir to make a stiff dough. It will not be a smooth dough. 

Lightly flour your work surface. Gently knead 5 or 6 times being careful not to over work. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.  Use a knife or pizza cutter and cut 1 inch squares. Add into the boiling stock and stir making sure it doesn’t stick together. 

Add and pinch of salt and pepper , cover the pot and boil gently over medium heat for 10 minutes. 

Stir in shredded chicken cook another 10 minutes or until desired thickness. Add fresh thyme and any other seasoning you would like. We have put Cajun seasoning in it and taste amazing. 

*It seems like a lot of steps but if you  pre shred your chicken ahead of time it comes together rather quickly.