Last month, TeamSugar member audreystar posted a tempting recipe for Chicken and Dumplins. At the time — the end of summer — I wasn't quite ready for it, but now that fall is kicking in and the weather is getting a bit cooler at night, a hearty meal sounds like perfection. You start off with a bit of chicken stock and finish it off with buttermilk biscuits. There are step by step pictures, so be sure to check it out. For the recipe, read more

Chicken and Buttermilk Dumplins
Recipe submitted by TeamSugar member audreystar

This is my husband's favorite meal I make. I always make it when I want him to feel better. This recipe is actually two recipes that I meshed together with each parts of the recipe I preferred. The chicken stock recipe is from a website for Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplins and the Buttermilk Dumplins recipe is from a Country Cooking Hardbound Cookbook my Momma gave me.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Stock:

3 quarts of water
3-4 lb chicken
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
6 whole parsley leaves, chopped (I use fresh but you can use dried if you want)
1 teaspooon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (I use real lemon but you can substitute with lemon juice concentrate)

Dumplins:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 to 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour for thickening up stock

In a large pot add the water and chicken and bring to a boil. While waiting for it to boil, add a 1/2 tsp. of the salt, cut up onion, cut up celery, garlic, bay leaf, parsley and lemon juice to the pot.

After boiling for a few minutes, reduce heat to simmer and cook the chicken uncovered, for 2 hours. You can check with a meat thermometer to be sure it is over 160 degrees.

When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot an set it aside to cool. Strain the stock and remove all the vegetables and floating scum. You want only the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out.

Pour 6 cups of the stock back into the pot. (The leftover stock can be frozen or thrown away). Add teaspoon pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut or tear meat off the chicken into small, bite size pieces and set aside. Reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplins.

Combine flour, soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk stirring with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. With floured hands pick out dough and form into large balls.

Drop each dumplin into the stock. You should have around 12 more or less dumplins in your pot. They will expand when they start to cook in the stock. They kind of resemble big cauliflower shoots. Turn dumplins over after 2 minutes careful to not split them apart.

Carefully start to add the chicken. It will look like all the meat will not fit, but if you carefully move the dumplins to the side and add chicken and then move another dumplin to the side and chicken, you should make it all fit. After a minute or so add a little more flour to thicken the stock up so it resembles chicken gravy. Usually around 1/8-1/4 cup of flour. Add a little at a time and carefully stir in flour until you get the consistency you want.

To garnish I add some pepper and a few parsley leaves to the side of each dumplin. You can also serve green beans or another veggie with it if you like. Let cool a bit and after 5-10 minutes you should be ready to serve the chicken and buttermilk dumplins. Enjoy!

Yummy! Comfort food and perfect on a cold, winter day or anytime.

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