Chicken and Dumplings (Fast Version)

Chicken and Dumplings (Fast Version)

 

 

Prep time: 20 Min - Cook time: 40 Min - Total time: 1 Hour

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 Rotisserie Chicken or 2 cups shredded chicken
• 8 cups homemade chicken broth
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups ap flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp solid shortening
• Salt, Pepper, and Parsley for taste and garnish

 

Instructions

 

1. Begin by sautéing the onion and celery in a small amount of butter (not listed in ingredients because everyone has butter, or use oil if you don't.
2. Once the celery and onion have softened, using this quick method, add your chicken to the saucepan and put a lid on loosely. Cook for 30 minutes or so.
3. While the chicken is cooking and getting the extra flavor from the broth, begin the dumplings by adding flour, salt, and shortening to a bowl. Using your fingers, cut the shortening in to the flour, until it is completely distributed evenly and you can see tiny areas resembling small peas where the flour has clumped to the shortening. Begin by adding 3 TBSP of water, and mixing. Add 1 TBSP of water at a time, until the dough comes together without cracking or crumbling.
4. Roll this dough onto a floured surface with a rolling pin, you want your dumplings to be anywhere from 1/8" to less than 1/4" inch. Too thick? And they will become pillows. Thin enough to have some chew, and will still be great with the leftovers.
5. Cut the dumplings into strips, then into squares - much like bite size pieces. Toss with flour, and add by the handful to the boiling soup. Don't plop…it won't kill you with scalding hot bubbles unless you DROP then in there. Just lightly sprinkle them in, stir, wait a few seconds, add another handful until you feel the ratio of dumpling to chicken is good.
6. Adjust your seasonings, and voila! You did it!

 

 

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Notes:

 

This Chicken and Dumplings is the quicker version for those times when you WANT it...but don't have the time or the energy.  You might be able to find some rolled dumplings in the freezer section of your grocery store, but honestly, making dumplings doesn't take that long.

 

Not quite as good as the original version, but when you don't have the energy, this will do when you are craving the chicken and dumpling goodness.

 

 

 

All Photographs Copyright Tink's Kitchen and JSGrey