Chicken and Dumplings

By forgetid

Ingredients

• 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts cleaned
• 6 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 1/2-2” cubes)
• 3 cups baby carrots cut into 1” pieces
• 3 stalks celery (tendons removed) cut into 4” pieces
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 1 large box chicken broth
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 tsp. onion salt
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 bay leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Boil chicken in about 8 cups water just until when pierced with fork no pinkness appears. Do not overcook. Remove chicken to cool and run water through a sieve saving the water. Add vegetables (with exception of potatoes) , chicken broth, bouillon, and spices to water and boil until onion and celery are soft (carrots should still be somewhat firm).

Prepare dumpling/biscuit batter:
2 ¼ cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

Dumplings: Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto boiling stew or soup. Reduce heat immediately to to a simmer; cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 min. longer. 8-10 dumplings

Biscuits: Heat oven to 450º. Stir ingredients until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, being careful bottom of biscuits do not burn.

Cheese Garlic Biscuits: Make drop biscuits except decrease Biquick mix to 2 cups and add ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Mix 2 Tbsp. melted butter and 1/8 tsp. garlic powder; brush over biscuits.

Remove onion and celery, along with 1 cup broth, puree in food processor until smooth, and add back to boiling broth along with chicken that has been torn into bite sized pieces and cubed potatoes. Add another 2 cups hot water. Continue cooking over med to med-high heat for about 15 minutes (but not boiling). Increase heat and bring to boil. Drop in dumplings and follow dumpling directions. Remove dumplings to plate or shallow glass bowl. Return to near boiling point. Thicken with mixture of 2 cups cold water and about ¾ cup flour adding thickener and stirring continuously until desired thickness is reached making certain vegetables and gravy are not sticking to bottom of pan. Serve over dumplings or biscuits.