Chicken and Dumplings

How to make Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - This is probably one of the favorite original "one-pot meals" in American cooking. Dumpling dough or batter bakes right on top of the stewed chicken in a covered pot.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (3-1/2-pound) chicken, cut up
1-1/2 quarts water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small onion, quartered
1 small carrot, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks with leaves, cut into chunks
3 tablespoons butter or chicken fat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup half and half
White pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Dumplings:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted shortening
1/3 cup milk

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large pot. Add water, salt, black pepper, onion, carrot and celery. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove from broth; strain and reserve broth. Place chicken on a rack in a bowl; cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken.

Dice meat; refrigerate. In a large heavy saucepan, heat butter or chicken fat. Stir in flour and paprika. Gradually add 3 cups reserved chicken broth, stirring until thickened and smooth.

Cook 2 minutes. Add half and half and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Return chicken to sauce.

Prepare Dumplings. Dip a teaspoon into cold water, then spoon teaspoonfuls of batter on top of simmering chicken mixture.

Cook, covered, 15 minutes without lifting lid. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

To prepare Dumplings:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Blend in shortening and milk; mix well.

Notes:
What is considered a "dumpling" is different from one area of the country to another. Dumplings may take the form of a fresh noodle, spatzle, as in Hungarian and German cuisine, or a dumpling may be made of a dough similar to baking-powder biscuits as in this recipe.

It is important when making dumplings leavened with baking powder that you cover the pot and allow the dumplings to steam for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or the dumplings will be doughy rather than light and fluffy.