We’ve finished out our summer recipe series, cooking with fresh herbs, and are transitioning to easy dinner recipes for on-the-go families. School is here y’all!
What better way to welcome your family back home than with the Southern classic favorite, Chicken and Dumplings.
This is a nourishing, hot meal that begins in the crockpot and ends with a piping hot bowl of yummy, creamy goodness!. It also includes a short cut that we all could use in our busy schedules.
Combine all the ingredients except for the biscuits and cook all day in the crockpot on low. When you get home, remove chicken bones, skin, fat, and bay leaves. Turn crock pot on high to heat up your home-made broth. Cut up pieces of chicken and set aside while making the biscuit recipe. I have this biscuit recipe posted under “previous posts” on this website.
Make dumplings using biscuit recipe, roll out on floured surface, cut into strips and then cut the strips cross-wise to make bite size squares. Leave excess flour on squares of dough.
Or at this point you can substitute two cans of biscuits, you know the kind that you pop open by hitting on the side of the counter! If using the canned biscuits, cut each one into fourths, place all pieces in a large ziploc bag with one cup of flour. Shake vigorously to coat all the bite size pieces of biscuit dough with flour.
Drop floured squares into boiling chicken broth. If using the crockpot, put the lid on. Simmer for about 15-30 minutes till dough puffs up. Gently stir in chicken meat while being careful not to break up dumplings. Serve in soup bowls. Turn crockpot back to low and stragglers coming in late from ball practice or other school activities can have the same warm dinner on arrival.
Are you ready to transition meals to Fall?
3-4 pound whole chicken or your favorite chicken pieces
2 quarts water
fresh ground pepper
one onion finely minced
2 cloves of garlic (or 2 tsp granulated) mashed with 4 tsps of salt
chopped celery leaves from one bunch of celery (stuff leftover stacks with pimento cheese for a side)
2 bay leaves
1 recipe buttermilk biscuits or 2 cans biscuits