Pantry Chicken Dumplings For Two Recipes

THE BEST CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the chicken: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the carrots, celery, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just begin to soften but don't take on any color, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until completely evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until completely melted. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until it is completely incorporated and a sandy paste forms. Pour in the milk and stir until the flour has been smoothly incorporated into the liquid.
• Add the chicken and the chicken stock to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and peas and remove from the heat.
• For the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until just combined, then add the milk and stir until a ball of dough forms.
• Use a small ice cream scoop or measuring cup to scoop 10 balls of dough into the pot (about 2 tablespoons each). Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low until the dumplings have puffed up and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with more parsley.

SKILLET CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Combine the cornmeal, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut each biscuit dough round into quarters. Toss to coat with the cornmeal mixture. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook uncovered, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to coat the onions. Slowly stir in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a strong simmer and stir in the chicken, celery and carrot.
• Put the biscuit pieces on top of the chicken mixture, cover with the lid and cook until the biscuit dough is cooked through, light and fluffy, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

PANTRY CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS FOR TWO

Steps:

• 1. Make dumpling dough by cutting shortening into the flour until it almost looks like coarse sand (I use a handled biscuit cutter, but you can use a pastry blender or the two knives technique.)
• 2. Add and stir in enough of the milk to bring it all together and it forms a stiff dough (like for biscuits.) Do not overwork the dough.
• 3. In a dutch oven or stockpot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add bouillon cubes to broth.
• 4. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough into the boiling broth. When all of the dumplings are in the pot, reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Do not stir!
• 5. After first 10 minutes simmering, sprinkle a pinch of parsley flakes over dumplings. Place tight fitting lid on top of the pot and simmer without stirring for an additional 10 minutes.
• 6. Remove from heat. Very gently, stir in drained cooked chicken.
• 7. Serve hot. (I like to serve it in bowls with a bit more parsley sprinkled on top.)
• 8. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Gently reheat in microwave.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan, spray with cooking spray, add the chicken and cook it for 4 minutes, browning well on all sides. Remove and keep warm.
• Add the next six ingredients (celery through bay leaf) to the pan and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan, cook 1 minute, then add the broth , bring it to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes.
• A few minutes before the 30 minutes are up, stir together the flour, baking powder, parsley and salt. Add the milk, stirring just until everything is moist.
• Spoon the dough by heaping teaspoonfulls into the saucepan. Cover and simmer 10 more minutes, or until the dumplings are done.
• Discard the parsley sprigs and serve.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS FOR TWO (COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• Note: Make the dumplings just before adding them to the stew.
• For the stew: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly dry, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in broth and bring to boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes.
• For the dumplings: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Stir in broth and melted butter until just incorporated.
• Season stew with salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium. Using 2 spoons, drop eight 1-inch dumplings into stew about 1 inch apart. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle peas around dumplings, cover, and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Serve.