I've been digging out old soup recipes lately. So I asked my fiance if he could have any soup what would it be, and he said chicken and dumplings. If you follow my food blogs, you know I don't cook heavy meals like this very often. When I do I want to make sure that I go all out!
I called my mom who lives in Arkansas and makes the best chicken and dumplings ever to get her recipe! My dad would ask for them, and she would go to the grocery and get a whole chicken. She did it the right way with a whole chicken, lots of butter, and a can of butter biscuits! That was my dad's favorite part. This is how it all starts...a whole chicken, lots of fresh herbs, onions, celery, garlic, and carrots!
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This is the recipe my Mom shared with me!
Southern Style Chicken & Dumplings
1 whole chicken
1 onion cut into quarters
2 carrots
4 ribs of celery
1 whole head of garlic
1 bay leaf
6 or 7 sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh peppercorns
water to cover the chicken
1 stick of unsalted real butter
1 can butter biscuits
2 or 3 tablespoons of flour
1. Rinse your chicken and remove any of the innards. Place in a large pot. Peel and cut the onion into quarters, peel and cut carrots into large chunks, chop the celery ribs into large chunks. Slice through the head of garlic and put the entire thing in the pot. You will be straining all of this and discarding everything except for the chicken and broth. Add the thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and continue a slow boil for about an hour.
2. Meanwhile dust your countertop with a few tablespoons of flour. We're going to make the dumplings. Open the biscuits and with a rolling pin roll out each biscuit to almost twice it's original shape. Then slice in half four times. Each biscuit will yield eight dumplings. Lay the dumplings on a towel to dry out a little and dust the tops with flour. While the chicken boils turn the dumplings once to dry out the other side.
3. Once the chicken is done carefully remove from the water. Place on a plate to cool. When the chicken is cool, debone and shred the chicken reserving only the meat. Discard everything else.
4. Strain the broth. Leaving only the chicken broth. Discard everything else.
5. Add one stick of butter to the broth. When the butter is melted about a minute, add the dumplings one at a time. Cook on medium-low, slow boil for about 20 minutes. When the dumplings are done, add the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir to warm through and serve with a little fresh parsley!
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