Big Thicket Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

How to Make Big Thicket Chicken And Dumplings

1. Place 1 whole (about 3-4 lb) chicken and 8 cups of water into a large pot or Dutch oven.
2. Add 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and easily shreds.
4. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool completely.
5. Remove 2 cups of the chicken stock and set aside to cool.
6. Add 2 stalks celery (chopped), 1 medium onion (chopped), 1 medium carrot (chopped), and 2 beef bouillon cubes to the remaining stock in the pot. Continue to simmer.
7. While the chicken cools, prepare the dumplings: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
8. Cut in 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted margarine using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
9. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and the 2 cups of cooled chicken stock.
10. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
11. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for a minute or two until smooth.
12. You may need to divide the dough in half and roll out one half at a time. Roll out to approximately 1/8-inch thickness.
13. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch wide strips. Then cut the strips into 1-inch squares to form the dumplings.
14. Bring the chicken stock in the pot back to a gentle boil.
15. Carefully drop the dumplings into the boiling broth, a few at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot.
16. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and float to the surface, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
17. Remove from heat and cover the pot to keep the dumplings warm.
18. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and debone it.
19. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
20. Gently fold the shredded chicken into the hot dumplings and broth.
21. Serve immediately. This recipe makes enough for 4 servings (or 2 large servings per person).