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Mother's Old-Fashioned Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Photo Credit
Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
The Editors
Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Category
Poultry
Course
Main Dish
Preparation Method
Boil
Sources
Old Farmer's Almanac Contests
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Shirley Wollard Woodlock of Texas learned to make chicken and dumplings while watching her mother, Jennie Wollard Nunn. “Hers were made to perfection,” recalls Shirley. “She would always say, ‘Don’t forget the bay leaves and the pepper.’” Now Shirley always makes her mother’s chicken and dumplings to bring to Wollard family reunions. The recipe was passed down from Shirley’s grandmother, who grew up in the hills of Tennessee.

Editors’ note: Today, this is one of our readers’ all-time favorite recipes! Whether you make your dumplings in strips, balls, or squares, all are acceptable forms. “Dumplings,” simply put, refer to small pieces of dough that can be savory or sweet. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 whole fryer chicken or hen
4 to 5 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
4 to 6 tablespoons butter
pepper, to taste
Dumplings:
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup water
2 small eggs
3 cups flour
Instructions

1. Wash the chicken and place into a large Dutch oven. Cover well with plenty of water and add bay leaves. Add salt and pepper, and the butter (the more butter, the richer the dish). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is well done, about 1 hour.

2. Remove the chicken from the broth. Discard the bay leaves. When the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bone and return the deboned chicken to the broth. About 1/2 to 3/4 pot of broth should remain.

3. For dumplings: In a large bowl, mix together the salt, oil, water, and eggs. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, blending it constantly with a fork. Stir only long enough to mix the dough.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Pinch the dough in half, and roll out until thin, about 1/4 inch. Slice the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips, and cross-slice into pieces 4 to 8 inches long, for ease in handling.

5. Bring the broth and chicken back to a boil, and pepper well to taste. Drop the dumpling strips into the boiling stock. Boil approximately 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the dumplings are done (they’ll be puffy). Most of the broth will be absorbed. Serve with red pinto beans and corn bread.

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

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Comments

Katherine S. Hadsell (not verified)

6 years 5 months ago

This is what my family has called Chicken Pastry for many generations. I have heard it called Chicken Slick and Chicken and Dumplings but it is all fairly the same dish. Some use Crisco, oil, butter but my Grandma always used lard because that is what she had on hand. Some like them thick while others like the thin. It is all a matter of what you like. Best dish to eat no matter what the weather or season. If you have never tried it you don't know what you are missing. Good food, good company, and a glass of sweet iced tea is all you need to make it an occasion.

Uncle T (not verified)

6 years 5 months ago

My wife uses my great grandmother's recipe for chicken and dumplings. In true Southern fashion it calls for a "lump of shortening or lard the size of a chicken egg". The dough is rolled thin and cut before going into the simmering broth. For us, chicken and dumplings are the meal accompanied at most by some cornbread.

David Fowler (not verified)

6 years 10 months ago

The recipe says to bake the dish. On what temperature and for how long?

The Editors

6 years 10 months ago

The recipe should have been classified under “Boil.” We’ve corrected it.

Nancy Skipper (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

I add black pepper and a pinch of poultry season to my dumpling dough and I use buttermilk - no eggs. They are fluffy and flavorful.

Nancy Skipper (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

I also use SR flour, and I make the dough just like I do for buttermilk biscuits, adding the pepper & poultry seasoning, and drop the dumplings into the stew broth made with water and cream of chicken soup - undiluted. Milk may be added if desired after the boiling is down to a simmer.

Gwen (not verified)

7 years 4 months ago

I used the canned pizza dough in the cooler where the canned biscuits are, came out really good.

Gloria D. (not verified)

11 years ago

I have used all purpose and self rising flour for dumplings. It all depends on wether you want doughy or light and fluffy dumplings. I personally like the doughy heavy dumplings but my husband loves the fluffy kind so I alternate. Either way the dish is delicious.

deberz (not verified)

11 years 4 months ago

I added big chunks of carrots, 1 large onion, diced, and 2 whole
celery stalks to the broth during the cooking process. I removed the celery when the broth was done. I also added some fresh Thyme to the dumplings. My family loved it!

Sherry Regan (not verified)

12 years 2 months ago

I always used butter instead of oil. It makes for a richer dumpling. OR, I used Olive Oil for the oil if I didn't have butter.