Ingredients:
1 (3 lb) chicken
2 1/2 quarts water
1 cup diced onions
2 -3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4-1 teaspoon salt, if not using potato use 3/4 t
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded potatoes (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients except the celery, cream and dumplings into a large pot, bring to just a boil and reduce heat to a very slow simmer. A bigger chicken will require a little more water.
Cover and simmer very slow for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until chicken is falling apart and a rich broth is produced.
Carefully remove chicken to a platter and allow to cool enough to separate the meat from the bone, cartilage and skin. Be sure to remove all chicken parts from the broth.
Optional-I like to place the bones back into the broth and simmer slowly, covered for another hour then remove or strain broth through a colander, this is optional but will richen the broth.
After making sure all bones and chicken parts are removed from pot, tear chicken meat into course pieces and place back into pot.
Add celery and simmer until the celery is almost done, about 15 or 20 minutes. Add cream and stir.
Make the dumplings, mix dry ingredients, shred potato to 3/4 cup softly packed, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can, add to dry ingredients and mix well with a fork. (I like fairly dense dumplings, for fluffier dumplings add 1 teaspoon more baking powder.).
Add the milk and butter, mix until just blended, sometimes because of the potato I have to add a tablespoon or so of more flour, you want biscuit dough consistency.
Drop by spoonful into the soup, remember they will swell a bit, about double.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, check the dumplings, you may need additional time for the potato to cook (just 4 or 5 minutes), taste a dumpling, there should be no crunchy raw potato.
If the pot becomes overcrowded with dumplings, stop and place dough covered in the refrigerator, after serving you can replenish the soup with dumplings for seconds or leftovers.
Add ins – 1 cup of diced carrots may be added in right before the celery if wished. 1/2 cup of sweet peas may also be added right before the dumplings, then you have Deluxe Chicken and Dumplings.
Servings: 5
Time preparation: 30 min.
Time total: 150 min.