I make mine a little different- as I like a really savory dish. Of course, no measurements- as that’s the way I was taught, “just a pinch of this and a tad of that”.
When I can I do these things to make a hearty, richer flavored dish:
- prep chicken and put into a deep pan or Dutch oven
- in a bowl add salt, pepper, garlic &onion powder (to taste), crushed - dry thyme (a healthy pinch), soft butter. Mix well and put 1/3 between skin and meat, put 3-5 bay leaves between skin and meat. Smear rest of butter mixture over outside of chicken, add a cup of water and bake covered with foil. 1/2 through remove foil and turn chicken.
- let chicken cool, debone (and skin) , reserve liquid and carcass (to make stock later)
- fill pot 1/2 with water and add reserved juices and chicken. (I will use carcass instead if I want to make a lot of dumplings- boil, stain and return liquid to pot)
- bring to low simmer
*** Important- add next ingredients to pot before taking liquid out to make dumplings!
- add - to taste - salt/pepper/onion&garlic powder if needed.
*** a well seasoned stock will flavor your dumplings later. After all, who wants to bite into a plain tasting dumpling?
Add 1 c milk, 1/2 heavy cream (a must for heart stopping dumplings!) - stir and taste for seasoning.
Turn on low while making dumplings.
Dumplings
- Remove 1 or 1 1/2 cups liquid and set aside to cook slightly. Add 2 tsps of lard into liquid and let melt. (We render our own when process hogs in late fall/winter)
- I large (large) bowl add 3-5 cups of sifted flour. (You’re making an East Tennessee pot of dumplings... and my granny always made enough for drop-in guests as they seem to show up when dumplings are made!) or, adjust cups to your needs.
- pour a little liquid into flour and mix until you have a dry-ish biscuit consistency.
- turn stock up to a medium simmer, just below boiling (don’t forget you’ve got milk and heavy cream in there... don’t even think about leaving it out! LOL)
- roll out thin and cut (I use a pizza cutter) into squares/rectangles/whatever you like shapes/sizes, or - skip this step and make drop dumplings!
- I will often sprinkle a pinch (or three) of flour over the dumplings and give ‘em a fluff so that they don’t get sticky.
- once stock is simmering drop dumplings into it a few at a time, stirring now and again to keep them from sticking - until all are added. (Or, as many as you need. Stick the rest onto a cookie sheet, freeze, then put into a bag (I vacuum seal), and freeze for later use.
- once dumplings are added, turn heat down to a low simmer. I use a flat wooden spatula to keep bottom clean - stirring gently as required.
- when dumplings are almost done add chicken, now shredded, back into pot.
Cook til done, and serve with veggie sides of choice.
TIP
I often (90% of the time) add a bag of frozen mixed veggies in when I add the chicken to the pot. (Carrots, green beans, peas, and corn)
Delicious!!!
Make a big pitcher(s) of sweet tea, call friends & family over to share and enjoy!
(It may sound complicated, but, it’s not... just several steps. To make it easier, prep ahead!.
- When cooking chicken for another meal add an additional chicken in and cook, shred, and freeze for later use.
- use the carcasses to make stock with leftover vegetable scraps and freeze in meal portions.
Hello!
Great recipe!
I make mine a little different- as I like a really savory dish. Of course, no measurements- as that’s the way I was taught, “just a pinch of this and a tad of that”.
When I can I do these things to make a hearty, richer flavored dish:
- prep chicken and put into a deep pan or Dutch oven
- in a bowl add salt, pepper, garlic &onion powder (to taste), crushed - dry thyme (a healthy pinch), soft butter. Mix well and put 1/3 between skin and meat, put 3-5 bay leaves between skin and meat. Smear rest of butter mixture over outside of chicken, add a cup of water and bake covered with foil. 1/2 through remove foil and turn chicken.
- let chicken cool, debone (and skin) , reserve liquid and carcass (to make stock later)
- fill pot 1/2 with water and add reserved juices and chicken. (I will use carcass instead if I want to make a lot of dumplings- boil, stain and return liquid to pot)
- bring to low simmer
*** Important- add next ingredients to pot before taking liquid out to make dumplings!
- add - to taste - salt/pepper/onion&garlic powder if needed.
*** a well seasoned stock will flavor your dumplings later. After all, who wants to bite into a plain tasting dumpling?
Add 1 c milk, 1/2 heavy cream (a must for heart stopping dumplings!) - stir and taste for seasoning.
Turn on low while making dumplings.
Dumplings
- Remove 1 or 1 1/2 cups liquid and set aside to cook slightly. Add 2 tsps of lard into liquid and let melt. (We render our own when process hogs in late fall/winter)
- I large (large) bowl add 3-5 cups of sifted flour. (You’re making an East Tennessee pot of dumplings... and my granny always made enough for drop-in guests as they seem to show up when dumplings are made!) or, adjust cups to your needs.
- pour a little liquid into flour and mix until you have a dry-ish biscuit consistency.
- turn stock up to a medium simmer, just below boiling (don’t forget you’ve got milk and heavy cream in there... don’t even think about leaving it out! LOL)
- roll out thin and cut (I use a pizza cutter) into squares/rectangles/whatever you like shapes/sizes, or - skip this step and make drop dumplings!
- I will often sprinkle a pinch (or three) of flour over the dumplings and give ‘em a fluff so that they don’t get sticky.
- once stock is simmering drop dumplings into it a few at a time, stirring now and again to keep them from sticking - until all are added. (Or, as many as you need. Stick the rest onto a cookie sheet, freeze, then put into a bag (I vacuum seal), and freeze for later use.
- once dumplings are added, turn heat down to a low simmer. I use a flat wooden spatula to keep bottom clean - stirring gently as required.
- when dumplings are almost done add chicken, now shredded, back into pot.
Cook til done, and serve with veggie sides of choice.
TIP
I often (90% of the time) add a bag of frozen mixed veggies in when I add the chicken to the pot. (Carrots, green beans, peas, and corn)
Delicious!!!
Make a big pitcher(s) of sweet tea, call friends & family over to share and enjoy!
(It may sound complicated, but, it’s not... just several steps. To make it easier, prep ahead!.
- When cooking chicken for another meal add an additional chicken in and cook, shred, and freeze for later use.
- use the carcasses to make stock with leftover vegetable scraps and freeze in meal portions.
Best wishes!