Chicken and Dumplings

 

A Repost ..of sorts

Ahhhh comfort food... perfect when the weather gets cooler... Chicken and Dumplings... a Southern favorite.... and what better way than making it in a crock pot...  no fuss ... one pot and it cooks for you.. now how great is that??

Be warned this is not the dumplings my Mother made.. nope... not those floury dry things floating in stew... some people adore those dumplings... all the power to them..  I don't care for them....

These are little doughy lumps infused with the flavor of the chicken.. are made from biscuit dough... either homemade or canned....  absolutely delicious...

So now about the "repost part"  I posted this recipe with veggies added... I have since been advised.. the traditional one doesn't have veggies in it... okay.. so I'm open minded.. I did it the other way.. and it was delicious just the same...

And... there is a slight update... I read you can make it with the chicken totally frozen... that it would be moister and more tender... so I tried it... I agree it worked wonderfully... so if you forget to defrost the chicken... and you need to do something for supper.. this recipe is for you!

TIPS

This is what I'm told... the traditional Chicken and Dumplings recipe... chicken and gravy and dumplings.... some people like to add other ingredients.. and sometimes I do too... and that's fine.... if you add mushrooms or vegetables.. add them toward the end of the cooking time... I'd suggest adding them when you add the biscuit dough.

I serve cranberry sauce and vegetables on the side.

I used Campbell's Soup Cream of Chicken with Herbs... I think the light flavor of Herbs really adds to this.. but you can use plain Cream of Chicken Soup.... I wouldn't suggest substituting Cream of Mushroom Soup... it's just not the flavor you're going for.

You will ned to have enough chicken broth to almost cover the chicken breasts.... I buy those cartons and use what I need and store the rest in the fridge.  I used about 2 cans worth... I poured the chicken broth into the empty Cream of Chicken cans and then poured it into the crockpot.

Don't fret about how thin the liquid is when you add the biscuit dough... it will thicken up.. mine thickened to a perfect consistency... the dough absorbs the extra liquid.. which is perfect.. it gives them a light chicken flavor.

Don't omit the butter.. I almost did and it would be a mistake.. it helps thicken the gravy and it adds a bit of flavor..

Make sure you use Homestyle Biscuits.. you don't want the flaky variety for this.

I used all boneless skinless chicken breasts to keep the fat down to a minimum... you could use other parts of chicken.. but then you will need to skimp excess fat off the top before adding the biscuit dough.

I put the chicken in the crockpot completely frozen.. yep... right from the freezer.. it actually helps make the meat really tender... when I took the meat out to cut or shred it.. it was fork tender and shredded easily.

I sprinkled the frozen chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.  Sprinkle them inside the crockpot.. the spice will "fall off" because the breasts are frozen... but it will still be in the pot and the flavors will be in the sauce.  Thyme and sage are other good additions... add a sprinkling if you like a little more flavor.

The chicken breast quantity is listed in a range.. 3 good sized breasts are enough... 4 will make it meatier...

This recipe will serve 4.

Try this super easy recipe!

Recipe:  Super Easy Chicken and Dumplings

All you need:

3-4 good sized boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen (not thawed) See TIPS

2 cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken with Herbs Soup

About 20-24 ounces of chicken broth See TIPS

1/2 medium onion, diced

Sprinkling of salt and pepper

Sprinkling of garlic powder

Sprinkling of paprika

2 tablespoons butter

1 can of Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Biscuits, cut into quarters

All you need to do:

Put the 2 cans of Cream of Chicken with Herbs Soup into the crockpot.

Lay the frozen chicken breasts in the soup... sprinkle one side with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika... flip them over and do the same to the other side.

Add the diced onion and add enough chicken broth to cover... I used a spoon to swirl the Cream of Chicken soup around a bit to mix with broth.. but it will mix on its own as it cooks.

Put the lid on and cook on high for 3 hours.... then remove the chicken and shred or cut it up and put it back into the crockpot... the gravy will be very thin.. don't worry...

Add the 2 tablespoons of butter... swirl it around to melt it.

Separate the biscuits and cut them into quarters... and drop them into the pot.  They will float.  Take a cooking spoon and push them down to cover them in broth.. they will pop up again.. that's okay...

Replace the lid and cook for 2 more hours.  If possible check on it after about an hour and run a knife around the side.. my biscuits tended to stick to my pot and I didn't want them to get too dark in the sides.

And that's all folks..... told you this was amazingly easy...

Serve in bowls with veggies and cranberry sauce on the side.