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dumplings

Battle of the Chicken and Dumplings

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Well, it wasn’t really a battle.

 

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Jennifer and I decided to make Chicken and Dumplings on the same day, so we compared them.  We did it two completely different ways.  For some reason I felt compelled to roast two chickens.  I guess one chicken wasn’t enough for two people?!?!  Jennifer boiled hers and used the stock as the base.  I used stock in a box because I forgot to thaw the homemade stuff I had in the freezer.

 

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Her vegetables were cut into nice dainty little pieces.

 

Mine were more…um…

 

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Rustic?  Isn’t that what you call something that turns out uneven and sloppy?  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

We both had baby carrots to use.  I say Jennifer wins the prize for patience and endurance.

 

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This picture is Jennifer’s Chicken and Dumplings.  Her chicken is shredded all nice and pretty and her dumplings are round and perfect.

 

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My chicken is in big old honkin’ chunks.  My dumplings are a little more janky rustic.  What can I say. I got bored with all that shredding.  I mean, I had TWO chickens to deal with!

Again, Jennifer wins the prize for patience and endurance.

I adapted Martha Stewart’s dumpling recipe and Jennifer used Tyler Florence’s.  I’m not trying to be haten’ on my girl Martha, but Jennifer and I both like Tyler’s recipe better.  Mine were light and fluffy, but Jennifer’s had a density that we both preferred – and chives that were a little extra sumpin’ sumpin’

 

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Either way you want to go, you should totally be having some Chicken and Dumplings.  After all — it’s COLD outside, man!

Dumplings adapted from Martha Stewart

Here is where you can find Dumplings by Tyler Florence

Print

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

  • 2 whole chickens roasted, shredded or cut into chunks (you can save the skin and bones to make stock with later)
  • 2 lbs carrots cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3 celery stalks cut into large dice
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 Tbs butter
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage
  • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 Tbs fresh thyme or dried, just use about 1/2 Tbs
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs flour
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas

For the Dumplings - adapted Martha Stewart version

  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 Tbs salt
  • 2-3 Tbs fresh thyme 1/2 to 1 tsp if using dried
  • 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

  1. Heat a large Dutch over over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil and cook until butter is melted
  2. Add carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes
  3. Add onions and celery and cook another 3-4 minutes
  4. Add sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic, and 1 Tbs of the thyme and cook another 1-2 minutes
  5. Toss the flour all over the vegetables and stir to coat, stirring another minute or so
  6. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer
  7. Add the other 1 Tbs thyme
  8. While stock is heating make the dumplings
  9. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and tyme, add milk and stir to combine
  10. When stock is at a nice simmer, add dumpling batter to the stock using a kitchen tablespoon -- space them far enough apart to allow them to expand, cover and cook for about 20 minutes
  11. 5-6 minutes before dumplings are finished, add the peas and the chicken to the pot, cover to let them heat and the dumplings to finish.
  12. Serve immediately or save for the next day