Mamas Chicken And Dumplings Recipes

MAMA'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. You can do this ahead of time and it makes for faster prep time; Cut up fryer into four pieces, cover with water and boil until done. Let cool, remove chicken from water/broth, skim top of broth removing oils. Remove skin from chicken and de-bone tearing or cutting into bite sized pieces. Place in refrigerator, set broth aside.
• 2. In medium sized bowl, add flour and butter/margarine. Cut butter into flour with pastry cutter or fork until it resembles fine cornmeal. Add egg, mix thoroughly with flour mixture until the crumbs are a bit larger. Add milk, SLOWLY, mixing with fork until it starts to pull away from sides of bowl and clings together into a ball. If it sticks to your hands, work in a few tablespoons of flour. If it seems dry, add a little more milk. You can also use cream if you want the dumplings rich. Once you have your pastry in a ball, roll out on a piece of waxed, lightly floured paper until it is less than half an inch thick. About the thickness of a pie crust. You don't have to be exact on a perfect square or round pastry. Cut pastry into 2" strips. This makes quite a lot of dumplings. And if you've gotten it right you can put one on top of another and they won't stick. This just makes it easier to carry to stove on a plate.
• 3. Add canned broth to boiled chicken broth. Add chicken, bring mixture to a boil on medium heat. Add Dumplings, one at a time. They should hold together at this point. Make sure they do before you add any more. If you use a pie crust, no worries at all. But, be brave and make your own pastry! Continue to boil on Medium Heat until Dumplings are done. To test, remove one, cut it in half. If it is not gummy, it's done. This usually takes about thirty minutes. Turn off Heat. Now, if you want to, add a bit of Half and Half or Milk. I don't do this but there are some that do. Too rich for me. These are excellent. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

MAMA'S CHICKEN N DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Boil the chicken breast in a Dutch Oven, salt, pepper. I use the bone in chicken breast; I think it makes a better broth. Turn the chicken with a fork. I use only one chicken breast since it is just my husband and I at home now. You can add more if you like. Make sure the chicken is cooked before taking it out to cool. After cooling, pull the chicken off the bone and set aside. Save the broth that the chicken was boiled in but get the lumps of fat out with a spatula or drain it. Place back in pan.
• 2. While chicken is cooling. Follow the directions on the pie crust mix. Flour really good some wax paper or cutting board and place pie crust on it. Cover with a lot of flour. Roll out with a rolling pin and cut to desired strips.
• 3. Turn the broth back on to med. or high and let it boil, stir in soup and then while broth is boiling pretty good drop in the dumplings that you have cut. Take your time, then after they have become dumplings, turn the heat down and add the chicken, salt and pepper to taste. Do not put a lid on this while dumplings are cooking. When everything is cooked add the lid if you wish. Serve over rice.