Southern Chicken and Dumplings

This beautifully seasoned Southern Chicken and Dumplings is made with shredded chicken, vegetables and is loaded with tender herb and buttermilk dumplings.

Prep Time:20 mins Cook Time:1 hr 10 mins Total Time:1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

Soup

• 3 lb whole chicken
• 4 celery stalks chopped
• 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley chopped
• 2 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
• 1 tsp tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream(optional I prefer it creamy but a lot of you just prefer the broth)

Dumplings

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp vegetable shortening (lard, I use Crisco)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp Tabasco hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Place whole chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, parsley, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, pepper and turmeric in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, add the carrots and continue cooking another 30 minutes.

Carefully remove chicken from pot. When cool enough to handle remove meat from bones, discarding the skin and bones. Shred or chop the chicken meat and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking soda, poultry seasoning and remaining salt.

Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut shortening into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and with your hands mix until dry ingredients are moistened and the dough holds together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 to 5 times. Roll out to 1/4″ to 1/2″ thickness. Mine were between 1/4” and 1/2”. Dust both sides well with flour.  Shake excess off before dropping in the chicken broth.

Bring chicken broth and vegetables to a boil and pinch off or cut dough in 2″ pieces and add to the boiling broth (See Note 1). Reduce heat to medium and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, covered. 

Add hot sauce if using and stir to combine.  Stir in reserved chicken and half and half, season to taste before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and chives. The dumplings were even better the next day. They do not fall apart but were softer the next day. Delicious!!

Based on the Recipe by Kevin Belton (Cuisine at Home)