Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

The ultimate comfort food.  This recipe is very simple but to me it has a
heavenly flavor way beyond the sum of its ingredients.  The trick is to use
LOTS of fresh-ground black pepper.  Cooking the chicken on the bone is also
important.  And finally, the longer you simmer, the better.  If you're in a
hurry, you can cook it faster over higher heat, but you won't get the same
depth of flavor.  For the dumplings, I just use a double recipe of standard
biscuit dough - one made with self-rising flour, if it is available in your
area, works fine.  The dough blends with the broth at the end to make a
creamy white sauce.

CHICKEN
2 chicken breast halves, bone-in (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste (at least 1 tsp.)

DUMPLINGS
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 to 10 tablespoons butter (the more, the better)
1 3/4 cups milk or buttermilk
(or, use a ready-made biscuit dough -- but I've never tried it that way)

Remove any skin and excess fat from the chicken breasts and rinse thoroughly. 
Place them in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and add enough water to cover, plus
an inch or two.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and
cover.  Adjust the heat to keep the chicken at a steady simmer.  Make sure the
chicken is always covered with at least an inch of water. Cook until meat pulls
away easily from bones when a fork is inserted, about 2 hours.  Using two forks,
remove each chicken breast onto a plate and pull the meat off the bones,
shredding coarsely.  Discard the bones and any cartilage (it's not hard to find
it, but do go through thoroughly).  Also check your broth for any bones that
have been left behind.  Return the meat to the pan, season with salt and pepper,
and simmer, uncovered, while you make the biscuit dough.

Make biscuit dough: in a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Cut in the butter
with a pastry blender or two knives or by rubbing it between your fingertips
(pick up a bit of butter and flour, rub briefly and drop; repeat). Stir in the
milk or buttermilk just until the dough forms a ball; it will be quite moist. 
Or, follow the directions in your recipe.  For maximum tenderness, do not knead.
Raise the heat and bring the chicken and broth to a boil.  Drop the dough by
spoonfuls into the broth, stirring once to make sure each dumpling is immersed
before it floats back up again.  Boil for 5-8 minutes, or until dumplings are
cooked through.  Serve in shallow bowls. Also delicious left over.


Source:

rec.food.cooking, rec.food.recipes