Classic Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings" transports you to the heart of Southern cuisine with its comforting flavors. This timeless recipe combines tender chicken, aromatic vegetables, and fluffy dumplings simmered in a savory broth, offering a taste of traditional Southern comfort in every spoonful.
In a large stock pot, cook chicken, onion, bay leaf , stock, and enough water to cover the chicken completely until the chicken is completely cooked and falls off the bone. (about 1 hour)
Remove chicken and bay leaf from the pot, discard bay leaf, and set the chicken aside.
Bring stock to the boil and reduce by half while the chicken is cooling.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones, tear into bite-size pieces and return to the pot.
Add soup, cream, celery seed, and salt & pepper.
Make the dumplings
In a large bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
Cut in butter until thorough incorporated and flour has a meal-like texture.
Add milk and combine until dough forms.
Roll out dough to ¼” thickness and cut into 1” squares.
Liberally dust with flour and drop one and a time into the liquid.
Cover tightly, reduce to a simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes without removing the lid.
Notes
For a richer flavor, use a whole chicken. It’s a little more work, but well worth the time. That’s not to say that this dish isn’t delicious using boneless, skinless chicken breasts either. If that’s all you have - go for it!Cream really does make the difference, especially in the dumplings. If you only have so much to go around, add the cream to the dumplings and milk to the both. Check around for some half and half if you have it as that makes a great substitute as well.If you have a pastry cutter, use that to cut in your butter; if not use a fork. You can use your fingers, but the heat from your hand will melt the butter and your dumplings won't be nearly as good.Dusting the dumplings with flour will prevent them from sticking together while cooking.