Big Thicket Chicken And Dumplings Recipes

THE BEST CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Cooking the chicken - Add chicken, bay leaves and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to a large cooking pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to medium/low. Simmer partially covered until chicken is cooked through. Remove from water and set aside, cut the chicken into pieces when it's cool enough to handle. Strain the water from the pot reserving 4 cups of broth, keep the bay leaves. Add the 4 cups of reserved broth, bay leaves and the extra 4 cups of broth (or bouillon)back to your large cooking pot.
• Cooking the vegetables - While the chicken is cooking, bring 1/2 inch water to simmer in a skillet fitted with a steamer basket. Add celery, carrots and boiling onions; cover and steam until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Making the gravy - Simmer your chicken broth. Add butter, thyme and vermouth to the pot. Next your going to make a roux that will thicken your gravy - put your flour into a bowl and add just enough warm water to make a paste. Then using a wire whisk, slowly add the roux to the pot. Next add your evaporated milk and continue to simmer. If the gravy doesn't thicken slightly by the time your dumplings are finished, add another roux with the measurements halved.
• Preparing the biscuits - While your gravy is simmering, you can start making your biscuits. Place a little bit of flour on your cutting board and rolling pin. Open the package and knead the dough together with your hands. Roll it out into a sheet as best you can, the dough will be very resistant. Cut into thin strips about a half an inch thick and 3 inches long. Don't make them to thick or they won't cook properly.
• Putting it all together - Once finished with your dumplings stir your chicken, vegetables (including thawed peas) and herbs into your gravy. Next your going to place your dumplings on top of the water. Let them float undisturbed for a few minutes on top before you stir them inches Then you can add your next layer. When you've added all of your ingredients, cover the pot and let cook for at least 20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. You can let it sit on the stove longer if you need to keep it warm for awhile.

OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350°F.
• Sprinkle half the creole seasoning on top and bottom of chicken breasts. Then lay chicken breasts skin down into an 8x by 8x baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for an hour.
• Chop up your onion, celery, red and green bell peppers and your garlic.
• In a large soup pot or dutch oven add your olive oil. Turn heat to hight and when it starts to get hot add your veggies. Sweat them for at least 3 minutes before adding the rest of the creole seasoning, the chicken stock, bay leaf, black pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil and then turn to Med-Low.
• When the hour is up take the chicken out of the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Once rested and cooled you'll want to take the chicken off the bone and add meat to the pot of simmering soup. Discard all skin and bones but add the juices at the bottom of your baking dish to your pot. Add green beans. Let simmer about 10 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, parsley, pepper, salt, eggs and water until it looks like a thick paste. You may need to add another teaspoon or two of water depending on the size of your eggs.
• Turn heat back up to Med-High until it's brought to a heavy boil. Using two teaspoons spoon the dumpling mixture teaspoon by teaspoon into the soup. Once all the dumplings have bounced back up to the surface you know they are done. Turn heat back down to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine chicken, celery, carrots, onion, chicken broth, parsley, chicken bouillon granules, salt and pepper in a large pan or dutch oven; add enough water to cover chicken.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until chicken is done.
• Remove chicken and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Remove skin from chicken and tear meat away from bones.
• Return meat to soup; discard skin and bones.
• Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
• Return soup to a simmer.
• In a mixing bowl, combine dumpling ingredients and mix well to form a stiff dough.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls into simmering soup.
• Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve immediately.
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
• *SOUTHERN STYLE DUMPLINGS (heavier and chewier) 2 cups flour, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 beaten eggs. Combine flour, broth, baking powder and eggs; mix well to form a stiff batter. Drop by tablespoonfuls into simmering soup. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

THE BEST CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the chicken: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots, celery, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to soften but don't take on any color, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until completely evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until completely melted. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until it is completely incorporated and a sandy paste forms. Pour in the milk and stir until the flour has been smoothly incorporated into the liquid.
• Add the chicken and the chicken stock to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and peas and remove from the heat.
• For the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until just combined, then add the milk and stir until a ball of dough forms.
• Use a small ice cream scoop or measuring cup to scoop 10 balls of dough into the pot (about 2 tablespoons each). Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low until the dumplings have puffed up and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with more parsley.