Chicken and Dumplings: The Topic

[hazardnc]

When I was growing up, the only chicken and dumplings my mother made came from a recipe that came with our new microwave oven. The dumplings were balls of a soft dough that were placed on top of the simmering broth. As a kid, I loved those gummy, gooey dumplings.

When my second child was born, my mother came to help us out. She spent a week cooking us fabulous dishes - one of which was a recipe for chicken and dumplings in which the dumplings were long strips of dough like noodles. The broth was enriched with a can of evaporated milk.

This new recipe has become a family staple for the rainy cold nights of winter. Crucnhed for time, I often rely on Anne's frozen dumplings. hen, all I have to do is boil a cheicken (I always add chicken bouillion to boost the flavor) and add the dumplings.

I think chicken and dumplings is the ultimate in comfort food - right up there with cinnamon toast and macaroni and cheese.

What is your best recipe for chicken and dumplings?

[therese]

Our family uses the dough strips (like very thick fluffy noodles) in chicken and dumplings. The ones you can buy frozen (Anne's is only one of the brands available here in Atlanta) work well. Great comfort food. I never used evaporated milk, as it already seems pretty rich (though it's actually not).

Glory is a line of convenience foods that's not altogether horrifically bad. Entirely Southern product line, and I don't know how widely available it outside of this area (I'm in Atlanta). Their chicken and dumplings is decent, one of the very few frozen entree sorts of things I'll serve to my family.

[lovebenton0]

I do dumplings both ways. Depends on my mood for dough. The flat fatties are oh so good, and often I can slip even more of those into the pot. Dumpling for dumpling, they feel lighter. The soft ball dumplings are yummy when we've got more of an "I want bread" thing going.

But no matter which, I always herb 'em up, with mace or carraway, sage, lemon basil or lemon thyme. I like baby carrots in mine too. Never add milk, as therese suggests they are plenty rich as is.

[wcmckinney]

It has generally been my rule of thumb that chicken and pastry meant that there were noodles, and that chicken and dumplings meant that there were dough balls. Regardless, agreed that it is a supreme comfort food.

Kudos to Glory Foods as well for helping to make food that requires some prep time available for people who do not have the means or time to go that extra mile at every meal. I know they are a company that it is actively involved in the Southern cooking community and does a noble deed in providing scholarships for folks to attend the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium in Oxford, Mississip.

[lovebenton0]

It has generally been my rule of thumb that chicken and pastry meant that there were noodles, and that chicken and dumplings meant that there were dough balls.  Regardless, agreed that it is a supreme comfort food.

←

Well, the flat dumplings I do are still really dumplings, not noodles -- just a flatter ribbon-shaped (though still thick) puffed dumpling.

Noodles are noodles, and dumplin's are always dumplin's are at our house.

[slkinsey]

My grandmother's recipe always had flat, noodle-like dumplings. She made the dough dough by pouring some of the boiling broth from stewing the chicken into a bowl of flour, salt and pepper. Then the dough is rolled out and cut into wide strips. Although there is no leavening, the they did puff up a fair bit when cooked. Sigh... I haven't had any C&D since she passed away a few years back.

I wonder if the style of dumpling varies by region? My grandmother was from Texas.

[Varmint]

The chicken and pastry version of flat, unleavened "dumplings" is much more of a Southern dish. I generally make the dough-balls, but I usually add some scallions and herbs to them. Bill Neal has a great recipe for C&D in his first book.

[lovebenton0]

My grandmother's recipe always had flat, noodle-like dumplings.  She made the dough dough by pouring some of the boiling broth from stewing the chicken into a bowl of flour, salt and pepper.  Then the dough is rolled out and cut into wide strips.  Although there is no leavening, the they did puff up a fair bit when cooked.  Sigh... I haven't had any C&D since she passed away a few years back.

I wonder if the style of dumpling varies by region?  My grandmother was from Texas.

←

That's the noodlish dumplin's! And yeah, maybe you're right, 'cause I learned that from a native TX gal! Who I'm sure learned it from her mama.

No C&D? You have been deprived, slk!

[slkinsey]

No C&D? You have been deprived, slk!

←

I'm sure it would never be the same. I have a theory about simple dishes like chicken and dumplings, chicken fried steak, etc. Fundamentally these are very simple dishes to make. But that very simplicity means that small changes in technique or ingredients can make a big difference. It's all about just the way she worked the dough, or how she decided when the dumplings were done, or how she judged how much milk to add to the finished product, or how she knew the oil was just the temperature she liked for chicken fried steak, etc. There is no duplicating that. This is one reason I believe that, once my grandmother died, her chicken and dumplings and her chicken fried steak died with her.

[lovebenton0]

No C&D? You have been deprived, slk!

←

I'm sure it would never be the same. I have a theory about simple dishes like chicken and dumplings, chicken fried steak, etc. Fundamentally these are very simple dishes to make. But that very simplicity means that small changes in technique or ingredients can make a big difference. It's all about just the way she worked the dough, or how she decided when the dumplings were done, or how she judged how much milk to add to the finished product, or how she knew the oil was just the temperature she liked for chicken fried steak, etc. There is no duplicating that. This is one reason I believe that, once my grandmother died, her chicken and dumplings and her chicken fried steak died with her.

←

But not to you, they didn't, slkinsey. Your grandmother's smiling.

[hazardnc]

Supreme comfort food for sure. In fact, my daughter came home today feeling feverish, and I have a pot of C& D simmering on the stove as I write this. You get the benefit of the healing properties of chicken broth combined with the soothing comfort of dumplings, and in this case, the noodle kind!

[fifi]

C&D is one of those dishes that bring back my earliest memories of standing on a chair to see what was going on in the pots on the stove. When my great aunt would visit, the first thing she had to do was start cooking and one of the requisite dishes was chicken and dumplings. That first vivid memory was looking down into that big oval pot of bubbling chicken and seeing a chicken foot rising to the surface like it was "after me". I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever seen.

C&D is usually the fate of the carcass and leftover meat from a roasted chicken. I like to roast the really big mamas (6 to 9 pounds) so there is almost always enough left over meat to make a pot. The carcass goes to make the stock. After sauteing a bit of onion, celery and carrots, the stock goes in and is bubbled a while to cook down a bit. Then the dumplings are dropped in and cooked, then the meat added.

The dumplings themselves developed into something of a family crisis a few years ago. Both my sister and I were frustrated. Aunt Minnie made the most wonderful dumplings of the strip variety that we also called "sinkers". When the dumplings were dropped into the stock, they would float up. The lid was put on and the dumplings were allowed to simmer. After a few minutes they would sink back to the bottom. That was when it was time to add the chicken, heat and serve. We just couldn't duplicate that same chewy texture that we craved, and Aunt Minnie's recipe was lost to mankind. Then somewhere my sister came up with the idea of using cheap store brand biscuits. On a well floured board, you smash them flat, turning to get a flour coating on both sides. Shake off the excess flour and cut into strips. AAAAHHH! Perfect.

Here is a story that I can't resist passing on. I had a chicken carcass in the fridge, a pot of C&D was on the agenda, so I stopped at my local HEB to get the ingredients. In the produce section they had some of those Texas A&M maroon carrots. "Oh... That should look interesting. Little maroon cubes of carrot will be really cute. I'll invite my Aggie cousin to dinner." When I was dicing the carrots, the stains on the cutting board should have been a clue that I was headed for disaster. But, of course, I ignored the warning signs. Well... The maroon xanthophyls or whatevers bled into the broth... hmmm... Then the dumplings, with their basic pH levening turned the whole thing BLUE!!! I had a delicious pot of blue... and I mean blue... chicken and dumplings.

[therese]

Here is a story that I can't resist passing on. I had a chicken carcass in the fridge, a pot of C&D was on the agenda, so I stopped at my local HEB to get the ingredients. In the produce section they had some of those Texas A&M maroon carrots. "Oh... That should look interesting. Little maroon cubes of carrot will be really cute. I'll invite my Aggie cousin to dinner." When I was dicing the carrots, the stains on the cutting board should have been a clue that I was headed for disaster. But, of course, I ignored the warning signs. Well... The maroon xanthophyls or whatevers bled into the broth... hmmm... Then the dumplings, with their basic pH levening turned the whole thing BLUE!!! I had a delicious pot of blue... and I mean blue... chicken and dumplings.  

←

Great story. Sounds like the blue soup that Bridget Jones makes in the movie.

[lovebenton0]

Here is a story that I can't resist passing on. I had a chicken carcass in the fridge, a pot of C&D was on the agenda, so I stopped at my local HEB to get the ingredients. In the produce section they had some of those Texas A&M maroon carrots. "Oh... That should look interesting. Little maroon cubes of carrot will be really cute. I'll invite my Aggie cousin to dinner." When I was dicing the carrots, the stains on the cutting board should have been a clue that I was headed for disaster. But, of course, I ignored the warning signs. Well... The maroon xanthophyls or whatevers bled into the broth... hmmm... Then the dumplings, with their basic pH levening turned the whole thing BLUE!!! I had a delicious pot of blue... and I mean blue... chicken and dumplings.  

←

Great story. Sounds like the blue soup that Bridget Jones makes in the movie.

←

Fifi that was too good! Litmus pot! I will take that as fair warning not to think the maroon carrots would be cute in a pot of holiday C&D or T&D.

And therese -- you beat me to it! Wasn't that from using blue string to tie the leeks together or something? Two words to Bridget: Kitchen String!

[therese]

Yes, blue string to tie leeks together.

I, of course, would never have had this problem, because I would never have bothered to tie the leeks together into a bundle.

[Holly Moore]

Are their restaurants known specifically for their chicken and dumplings? I had fine versions in the Raleigh Durham area at Big Eds Mama Dips, but didn't get the sense that they were famous for them. Any places folks drive a hour or two just for an order of chicken and dumplings?

[Timh]

From my aunt in Smackover, AR, I learned a short dough dumpling for her chicken or squirrel dumplings. A real workout to roll out to thinness.

[sladeums]

help me make thick, heavy bread dumplings - please

see topic:

Bread Dumplings - heavy sinkers, need a recipe

[pyrguy]

From my aunt in Smackover, AR,...

←

Dang. Tim I have an Aunt there. She used to live in Mt. Holly, actuallySilver Hill, and moved to the "Big City" when my uncle's health started to go south.

She used to make the thin noodle type dumplings also.

I still make c&d but use a biscut dough to make the dumpling balls.

[hazardnc]

Here's one common recipe:

2 cups self-rising flour

¼ cup shortening

¼ cup cold water

In mixing bowl combine flour and salt

Cut in shortening until batter is coarse.

Add water and mix well with your hands.

Bring chicken broth back to a slow boil. Do not rapidly boil.

With floured hands pinch quarter size pieces of flour and drop into chicken broth.

Gently stir after adding several pinches.

Repeat until you have used all the dumpling mix. Stir gently.

Add butter and black pepper. Stir gently.

Allow to simmer 8-10 minutes.

For one soul food variation, try this: http://www.chitterlings.com/chicken-and-dumplings.html This version made me crave cracklin cornbread, since it has bacon bits in it!

Edited November 14, 2004 by hazardnc (log)

[Lone Star]

Quote: "Then somewhere my sister came up with the idea of using cheap store brand biscuits. On a well floured board, you smash them flat, turning to get a flour coating on both sides. Shake off the excess flour and cut into strips. AAAAHHH! Perfect. "

That is the way my Granny always made them, and I still do. You are right, the cheap biscuits are the best, don't go with any of those "fancy" ones!

[lizprince]

Chicken and Dumplings, I can not think of a better comfort food! My Grandmother was from Northern Louisiana and here is her recipe.

2 cups flour

1/3 cup shortening

1 egg

salt

warm milk (enought to make a workable dough)

Cut shortening into flour and salt. Add egg and milk. Roll dough very thin. Cut into strips. Pinch and drop into boiling broth with meat. Do not over cook... work fast.

Enjoy!

[rooftop1000]

The closest my grandmothers family got to "the south" was southern Italy...She made chicken soup with dumpling that the family just called the Things or the Balls. For a big pot of soup the balls called for

2 eggs

lots of pepper

big handfull of inexpensive parm or romano or blended cheese

enough flour to make a stiff dough

This was dropped by "tip of the teaspoon" sized balls into boiling soup, when they float they are just about done.

Once all my aunt and I had to do was drop them into the pot...we couldnt rember if they got bigger or smaller...we remembered things shrink when you wash them in hot water.... these suckers were HUGE.

so that is Italian chicken and dumpling soup by Anita

tracey

[moosnsqrl]

I made 'em today...thick-ish pasta sheets, cut into thinnish (1/4") strips with homemade chicken stock. Our local frozen variety (Reame's) being the gold standard...don't tell my grandmother but I like that cut a little better than the broader ones she taught me to make.

We also had a staple growing up, when we were sick (stomach stuff, not a cold, wherein dairy products were verbotten), potato soup with "doodles." I've never heard anyone else refer to these but they were, essentially, little balls of dough (bigger than a pea, smaller than a grape) that were added to the potato soup. I still want them when I have the flu, but being the oldest surviving female in my family, I have to rally enough to make them for myself.

[Becca Porter]

My favorite dumplings are from Cook Illustrated. Instead of cutting in the butter you melt it with the milk. Then you pour the hot milk into the flour.

I cut them into 1/2 inch thick 2 by 3 rectangles. My husband prefers them that way. Personally I would never turn down a dumpling. These are really fantastic though.

I do not agree with the carrots and peas in the CI recipe though. Thats for pot pie.