Is there anything more traditionally more cozy than chicken and dumplings? It cries out as a comfort food than a steaming hot bowl of chicken and dumplings. I will forever think of my grandma visiting us when I was a little girl and getting a bowl at Cracker Barrel restaurant. Steam floating up from her bowl, chunks of chicken and tender vegetables, and pillows of dough cooked to perfection. It is a picture of my childhood and precious memories.
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The History of Chicken and Dumplings
The history of chicken and dumplings stretches back through generations to the 1600s according to historians. The use of dumplings in with meat and vegetables helps to bulk up the meat that would have been expensive for the family. In 1860 Miss Mary Randolph has a recipe “meat paste for dumplins” where she describes a dumplins soup in her book ‘The Virginia Housewife’. She also includes a potato-based soup with apple dumplings and a tripe soup with dumplings. The books ‘Kentucky Housewife’ and the ‘Carolina Housewife’ also contain dumpling recipes.
What Is Chicken And Dumplings Called Now?
It is called chicken and pastry, chicken and sliders and in Appalachia in the United States it is called chicken and slicks. The Pennsylvania Dutch call theirs bott boi and it has large square noodles, meat that is not necessarily chicken, and broth.
What Are Dumplings Made Of?
They are made mainly of flour, fat, salt, and milk.
How Do You Make Chicken And Dumplings Thicker?
The way you thicken it is to add more flour to the cold milk at the end of the cooking process or add one cup of cold milk to a mug with two tablespoons of corn starch. Stir until completely combined then pour into your broth. Stir until thickened on a lower temperature to prevent sticking.
Can I make Chicken and Dumplings Gluten-Free?
We have not tried to make chicken and dumplings gluten-free but I would try it. Try a flour like Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose flour in place of the normal wheat flour.
Can I make chicken and dumplings vegetarian?
You could use a vegetable broth and only the vegetables and use coconut oil for your dumplings and water instead of milk.
Are Chicken And Dumplings Supposed To Be Thick?
Traditionally it was served as a thick chicken soup but it differs a lot regionally. Some make it with flat pieces of dough and others like it with bigger biscuit-like pieces on top.
What You Will Need To Make Chicken And Dumplings
- Stock Pot
- Large Spoon
- Cutting Board
- Chopping Knife
- Vegetable Peeler Apron
- Ladle
- Rolling pin
- Measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Soup Tureen
- Soup Bowls
- Soup Spoons
- Apron
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
- 1/3 Whole chicken chopped
- 2 1/4 quarts (8 cups) of bone or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon of salt Himalayan Pink Salt, or Gray Sea Salt
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of non-aluminum baking powder
- 1/2 cup of lard, shortening or cold butter
- 1 1/3 cups of milk
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1 cup of peas
- 1 cup of carrots diced or in coins
- 1 cup of corn
- 1 onion
- 3-4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour (for the roux)
- 1/2 cup or more of milk or water (for the roux)
Directions for chicken and dumplings
Put your broth into a large pot. Cut up your carrots and put in the pot to begin cooking. Dice up your onion and add to the pot. Open your peas and corn and add them to the broth.
In a bowl mix 3 cups of flour, salt, baking powder. Add to this 1/2 cup of lard and cut in to the flour until crumbly. When it reaches the crumbly stage add 1 1/3 cups of milk. Flour your hands and make the dough into a ball. Using your rolling pin on a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut it in strips 1 inch wide. Cut them into thirds lengthwise.
Cut your chicken into bite-size chunks.
When the carrots are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork and the broth is at a rolling boil take each bit of dough stretch the piece and drop it into the pot. Do this to each one and add to the pot of broth. Add your raw chicken chunks. If using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover baked chicken that is pre-cooked then add it at the end since it does not need to cook, just warm. Simmer for about 10 minutes stir them.
In a coffee mug add three to four tablespoons of flour. Add in milk and stir until it is thick. Add this to your chicken and dumplings and stir. This will thicken your chicken and dumplings. Let the chicken and dumplings simmer for another 10 minutes or so stirring once in a while. Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and dumpling set another 10 minutes
Print Recipe
Delicious Chicken and Dumplings
Delicious creamy chicken and dumplings
Ingredients
- 1/3 Whole chicken chopped
- 2 1/4 quarts (8 cups) of bone or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon of salt Himalayan Pink Salt, or Gray Sea Salt
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of non-aluminum baking powder
- 1/2 cup of lard, shortening or cold butter
- 1 1/3 cups of milk
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1 cup of peas
- 1 cup of carrots diced or in coins
- 1 cup of corn
- 1 onion
- 3-4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour (for the roux)
- 1/2 cup or more of milk or water (for the roux)
Instructions
Put your broth into a large pot. Cut up your carrots and put in the pot to begin cooking. Dice up your onion and add to the pot. Open your peas and corn and add them to the broth.
In a bowl mix 3 cups of flour, salt, baking powder. Add to this 1/2 cup of lard and cut in to the flour until crumbly. When it reaches the crumbly stage add 1 1/3 cups of milk. Flour your hands and make the dough into a ball. Using your rolling pin on a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut it in strips 1 inch wide. Cut them into thirds lengthwise.
Cut your chicken into bite-size chunks.
When the carrots are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork and the broth is at a rolling boil take each bit of dough stretch the piece and drop it into the pot. Do this to each one and add to the pot of broth. Add your raw chicken chunks. If using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover baked chicken that is pre-cooked then add it at the end since it does not need to cook, just warm. Simmer for about 10 minutes stir them.
In a coffee mug add three to four tablespoons of flour. Add in milk and stir until it is thick. Add this to your chicken and dumplings and stir. This will thicken your chicken and dumplings. Let the chicken and dumplings simmer for another 10 minutes or so stirring once in a while. Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and dumpling set another 10 minutes
What Do You Serve With Chicken And Dumplings?
It is a pretty filling dish, so you don’t need to serve much else. It is traditionally served with biscuits or cornbread. A salad would be a nice addition if you are serving very hungry people. Apple pie would be a great dessert to serve after this meal too.
Early American Cookbooks
- Recipe Book The Virginia Housewife 1860 by Mary Randolph
- The Kentucky Housewife Cookbook by Letice Bryan
- The Carolina Housewife Cookbook by Sarah Rutledge
Check out our other soup recipes
- Chicken Gumbo Soup And How To Can It
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe
- Delicious Egg Drop Soup
- Tortilla Soup
- Best Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Chicken Gumbo Soup And How To Can It
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