Source:

Arielle's Recipe Archives

Serves/Makes:4 or more

Ingredients

• 4 lbs (1.8 kg). chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 3 cups (700 ml) water
• 2 cups (475 ml) chicken broth, strong
• 1 tsp (5 ml). salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml). white pepper
• 1/8 tsp (1 ml). cayenne pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1-1/2 celery ribs
• 1 large onion, halved or sliced
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml). parsley, chopped
• Dumplings:
• 2 cups (475 ml) flour
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml). baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml). salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml). baking soda
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml). shortening
• 1 cup (225 ml) buttermilk
• Gravy thickening:
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml). flour, mixed with 1/3 cup (80 ml) water

Preparation

• Place chicken in a 4 quarts (3775 ml) Dutch oven with the water, broth, salt, whie pepper and cayenne.
• Bring to a boil and skim foam for a minute or two.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and add garlic, celery, onion, and parsley.
• Cover and simmer gently 1 1/4 hours before adding dumplings
• Dumplings:
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together.
• With a fork or a pastry blender (or in a food processor) work the shortening into the flour mixture until the texture is that of cornmeal.
• Rapidly stir in buttermilk.
• Form dough into a ball and with floured hands knead it on a floured board for a few seconds, until bouncy.
• Roll out dough into a square or rectangle 1/2 inch thick and cut it into 1 1/2 inch squares.
• Drop into the hot chicken stew when the chicken is nearly done, cover the pot again and simmer 15 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove chicken and dumplings to a platter or serving dish.
• Off heat, stir the flour paste into the broth left in the pot.
• Return to low heat and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened to a gravy.
• Pour the gravy over the chicken and dumplings and serve immediately.

Comments

If you wish you can make the dumplings out of a baking mix (i.e. Bisquick or Jiffy). The dumpling directions are on the box.