Grandma Jenkins' Chicken and Dumplings
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 90-120 minutes
- Servings: 12-14 Bowls
- Preparation Time: 150 minutes
- Chicken Stock:
- 1 whole chicken (or 7 chicken breast)
- 1 Whole Purple Onion- diced into small pieces
- 4-5 stalks of celery- diced into small pieces
- 5-6 carrots- diced into small pieces
- 4 Bullion cubes
- Salt and Pepper - to taste in the stock.
- Dumplings:
- 4 Cups of Flour
- Salt and Pepper - 1 TBLSPN Salt 1.5 TBLSPN Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1/4- 1/2 cup chicken stock (after it has cooked at least 1 hour)
- 4 eggs
- Thickening Agent:
- 4 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
DIRECTIONS
- Clean Chicken and place into stock pot. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Cover with water (at least 6-8 cups) and salt and pepper.
- Boil 1 hour on low heat.
- Remove chicken from stock pot- strain liquid into another pot - if needed (sometimes whole chickens create a bit of residue and fat)
- Clean the cooked vegetables, if needed- then add them back to liquid (stock).
- If you have used breasts, you may just remove the chicken, there will be no need to strain.
- Place chicken in fridge to cool 20-30 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooling, mix 4 cups flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix well and form a well in the bowl.
- Add the 4 eggs to the well.
- Slowly add the cooled stock (about half)
- Mix ingredients well- dough will be a bit sticky.
- If the dough is too dry, add a bit more of the cooled stock.
- On a flat surface, dust with flour for rolling.
- Place 1/2 of the dough and coat lightly with flour- including your hands and rolling pin- again, dough will be sticky.
- Roll to 1/8 inch thickness- just before the dough breaks is the thickness you need.
- With a paring knife cut the dough into 1.5 inch in width, about 2-3 inched in length- so they look like little rectangles.
- Leave on surface while you go to the next steps.
- De-bone (if needed) and Shred chicken that is cooled and place back into stock pot.
- Add the Cream of Chicken Soup
- Bring to a slow boil over Medium heat
- Slowly add dumplings a few at a time, stirring constantly.
- Keep adding dumplings until they are gone.
- Repeat the rolling and cutting of dough if you would like more dumplings.
- I usually use 3/4 of the dough.
- Let dumplings boil slowly 30-40 minutes.
- Please be sure to stir very often to prevent clumping and sticking.
- Serve with fresh bread, crackers, or over cooked rice.
- My family eats it more as a "stew" - however, you may choose to go with less dumplings for more of a "soup" consistency.
- I have also substituted the dumpling preparation for no yolks noodles, and it makes a delicious Chicken Noodle Soup!
RECIPE BACKSTORY
My Grandma Jenkins has been making her dumplings since she was a young girl. Grandma - or GG as my children call her, is turning 98 years young this year and we love her dearly. This is the recipe I cook for my family, and I hope it creates as many loving memories as I have from GG.
Submitted by: "Jennifer Beard"