BG asked for this recipe and I decided to use it for the Carnival of Recipes as well. This looks worse in writing than it is to make.
You can do this recipe two ways:
1 – make your own broth (which also gives you cooked chicken to use)
2 – buy the broth and use it (and cook some chicken up for the recipe).
The easy way is for you to buy broth and cook up some chicken, but for those more adventurous types, here is how I make the broth.
NOTE ADDED 10/12/04 - if you bake a chicken, take the left over meat and freeze it to use in Chicken and Dumplins. If you fry up a chicken, take the skin off the meat and keep the meat for C & D. Just remember whenever you cook chicken, if you have any left over and it is not too spicy... keep it for C & D.
Long Part (but can be done months in advanced and frozen):
Broth: 5 to 6 chicken legs, 2 cans of chicken broth, celery, and an onion (raw). Cut the celery and onion into large pieces. Put the legs, broth, cut celery and onion into a pot. Put enough water in to cover the legs and then some and bring it to a boil. Continue to simmer at a boil for 2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Keep an eye on it, you may need to add more water.
Take the meat out and let it cool. Meanwhile, pour the juice from the pot through a sieve, but make sure you save this juice (ie broth). Throw away the stuff on top of the sieve. After the meat has cooled, pull it from the bones and save it. The broth and the meat can be frozen for use later.
Short Easy Way:
3 cups broth (either made or bought)
5 chicken legs of meat cooked (or thighs or breasts can be used – I find leg meat tastier)
To make the Dumplins:
2 cups “sifted All purpose flour” or Wondra Flour (no need to sift Wondra)
¼ tsp salt
1 large kitchen spoonful shortning (about 1 Tblsp)
¾ cup tepid water (start with ½ cup but have more on hand in case you need it)
Mix all above ingredients and roll out about 1/8 inch thick. It should not be too sticky, if it is, add more flour… if too dry, add more water. Cut into squares or rectangles of approximately the same size. (This can be made the day before and kept in the fridge with a moist towel over it and then rolled out and cut before use.)
To make the Chicken & Dumplins:
Put 3 cups broth in a pot, chicken and drop in the dumplins one at a time while bringing it to a boil. Then simmer for 10 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered. Keep an eye on it and add more water if it is getting to low.
Once you have made it, it is easy. Particularly if you have broth and cooked chicken on hand. Simple, fairly quick and delicious.