# Chicken and Dumplings!



## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Got some stock at a rolling boil right now for chicken and dumplings!

Deliciousness | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I'm hungry already!

This is the recipe I am using (the top rated answer). My grandmother taught me how to make chicken and dumplings but I decided to test out different recipes...see if I can go without adding a ton of bouillon cubes and just salt in general. I'm a fan of savory but savory doesn't have to mean salty!

(Sorry about the linked picture...I couldn't figure out why my picture wouldn't load on the site)


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## showmegal (Sep 14, 2011)

Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing!!


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## jungatheart (Feb 2, 2010)

Wish I could make dumplings. I've tried a hundred times. Just can't eat those white golf balls I produce.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

Hey no problem folks. I tried the stock without bouillon. It has a taste but its definitely not up to par. Try adding a couple bouillon cubes to your liking. I think its one per cup of stock but don't quote me on that. I'm too lazy to look it up right now. :wave:


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## Kessler (Sep 27, 2011)

Chicken and Dumplings? Did I hear somebody say Chicken and Dumplings!!? When will they be done?


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## showmegal (Sep 14, 2011)

I cheat on mine. I put in a can of cream of chicken, a can of cream of celery and 4 bouillon cubes.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

It looks nice! 
I am in the "never use bullion cubes" group here. Too much MSG and makes me ill.
But there are ways to get around that and make an outrageous stock that needs no "cubes" to make it good.

The trick is to brown your chicken(or if you are using only the bones from cutting up your chicken brown them too.) When I am going to make baked chicken I often season lightly and bake twice as much. I serve dinner and then the other half of the chicken and all the fat and drippings from the pan go right in my stock pot (I often will put just a bit of water or white wine in and bring to boil on top of stove to get those bits off too)or if it is getting late, my big crock pot with onion celery garlic and a couple carrots and I let it simmer for several hours(same with the bones if using them) Never let it boil and for goodness sakes use the skin and all the clumps of fat. If it is in the crock pot it I let it go all night on low.
Taste your "broth" too, I go lightly on the salt and pepper till I am almost finished as you need to cook it down and concentrate the broth into stock and if you put in too much salt you can't get it out. The herbs I use depend on what I feel like that day.. some times it is thyme and other days it is sage or poultry seasoning.
I then run the broth thru a big strainer that I have and then put it back into the pot and simmer it down till it is about 1/3 less than what I started. (this is just my choice, some chefs will cook it down to almost 1/2 to add more concentrated flavors to their cooking). I will then either can or freeze what I am not going to use right then or I then add more diced veggies and the meat that was picked from the bones and then dumpling or noodles or even rice.
Hub's favorite is the chicken/mushrooms/wild rice and regular rice and then I add a bit of heavy cream to the stock and a bit of white wine. I sometimes thicken this and sometimes don't..
The kids all like potato gnocchi instead of dumplings. My Mother likes the Amish type dumplings and My hubs like the old fashioned fluffy dumplings that are like steamed biscuits on top.


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