Chicken Dumplingswest Virginia Style Food

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.

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS~~WEST VIRGINIA STYLE

Steps:

• 1. COOKING THE CHICKEN: In a dutch oven or another large covered pot, put the chicken & enough water to cover. The amount of chicken you cook is totally a matter of personal preference. Simmer of LOW heat for about 45 minutes, COVERED, until the chicken easily separates with a fork. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. If you used chicken with bones, you may need to strain the chicken broth into a bowl, rinse out the pot, then return the broth to the pot to avoid getting little pieces of bone in your food. I also feel the need to remove any pieces of fat left behind. When the chicken is cooled enough, cut or tear it off the bones into smaller pieces and return it to the broth. Throw away the skin, too. No time to cook? Buy a cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, bring it home, and take at least half of the meat off the bone. You'll probably need about THREE cans of chicken broth to heat up in the pot.
• 2. Now look at the chicken pieces in broth. If you cooked the chicken with skin, the broth is probably rich enough. If you just cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, there is probably very little chicken flavoring to the broth. In this case, add a can or two of chicken broth. The broth should cover the chicken with another inch above. Add a little more water, if needed. Heat to boiling over medium-low heat.
• 3. MAKING THE DUMPLINGS: While the broth is heating up, make the biscuit dough. If you're using my biscuit recipe, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and parsley in a medium bowl. Cut in the Crisco with a pastry cutter or my favorite large meat fork from my silverware set. When the flour, etc... resembles small gravel, make a "well" and slowly add the milk, stirring until you have a soft dough. Let it rest while waiting for the broth to boil. Short on time or supplies? Make dumplings using the recipe from the Bisquick box. OR thaw out frozen biscuits and cut into quarters. OR whomp that can of biscuits and use those. We won't tell. =^..^=
• 4. Add salt & pepper, if desired, and stir the chicken off the bottom of the pot one last time. Then drop the biscuit dough into the boiling broth using a heaping regular tablespoon. Repeat until all the biscuit dough is in the broth. NO MORE STIRRING ONCE THE DUMPLINGS ARE IN THE BROTH!
• 5. Leaving the contents of the pot on a slow simmer, set the timer for 10 minutes. Cook UNCOVERED.
• 6. At the end of 10 minutes, COVER the pot and cook 10 minutes more.
• 7. Serve the chicken & dumplings immediately. Serving suggestion: in West Virginia, this dish is often ladled over a mound of mashed potatoes, with a side of homemade applesauce or cranberry jelly. =^..^=

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the chicken: Heat a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook until golden, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are coated in fat and slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and browned chicken, along with any chicken juices at the bottom of the plate. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes.
• For the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, cut the shortening into the flour mixture. Slowly add the buttermilk, gently mixing to incorporate. Fold in the chives.
• Use 2 forks to shred the chicken. When the chicken is ready, use 2 spoons sprayed with cooking spray if desired to add scoops of dumpling dough over the top of the stew, about 1 tablespoon each. Cover and simmer until the dumplings double in size, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf and garnish with parsley.

NEW SOUTH CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• To prepare the dumplings, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, parsley and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a simmer over low heat; season with black pepper. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
• In a second large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and sweet potatoes. Cook until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer. Add the chicken and thyme.
• Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop the dough, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into the simmering stock. Cover and simmer until the dumplings and chicken are cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. (The best way to see if the dumplings are cooked is to remove one from the pot and let it cool slightly. Using a chef's knife, halve the dumpling. If the center looks dry, it is cooked. If the dumpling looks gummy or wet, let them cook a bit longer.)
• Stir in the spinach; cover and continue cooking for an additional 30 to 45 seconds. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water, carrot, celery, onion, 3 sprigs of thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chicken from dutch oven and transfer to a bowl; set aside to cool.
• Increase heat and bring the stock to a simmer. Skim off any chicken fat that appears on top of the stock and reserve in a bowl. Combine 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat with flour in a small bowl; stir to make a paste, adding more flour if needed. Add the chicken fat and flour mixture to the stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove chicken meat from the carcass and add to the stock. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Continue simmering for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Whisk creme fraiche, milk, 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves, and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in self-rising flour until almost entirely incorporated; do not overmix.
• Scoop large dollops of dumpling mixture on top of the chicken stock. Increase heat slightly to medium-high. Cover and simmer until dumplings appear light and fluffy, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve garnish with thyme sprigs.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN "N" DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the chicken: In a large pot, cover the chicken with water and add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer until cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool, then remove the chicken meat from the bones. Add the shredded chicken back to the broth and reserve.
• For the dumplings: Add the flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl and mix well. Add the milk and egg and mix well with a fork. Bring the reserved chicken broth to a simmer. Drop the dough into the broth by the spoonful and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Add some roux and cook until the broth has thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken "n" dumplings covered with gravy.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity of the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken under cold water, inside and out. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season the body and cavity of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, mash together the butter, lemon juice, and chopped herbs. Rub the herbed butter all over the chicken, as well as under the skin. Put the lemon halves, onion, garlic, and whole herbs inside the chicken cavity, for added flavor. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Roast for 1 hour until the meat is no longer pink. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin and set aside. Reserve the bones for chicken stock.
• For the stock: Coat a large stockpot with olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the vegetables and saute for 3 minutes. Add the reserved chicken bones, water, and herbs; simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock to remove the solids and set aside.
• For the dumplings: sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milk together; pour the liquid in the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together, the batter should be thick and cake-like.
• For the sauce: In a Dutch oven, melt butter and heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. Saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
• Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.
• Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.