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Kimberly's Chicken and Dumplings

Source of Recipe

From "Oh Gussie!" by Kimberly Schlapman


Recipe Introduction

"My mama appeared on my cooking show, Kimberly's Simply Southern, the very first season it was on the air. She brought out the big old ceramic mixing bowl she always uses to mix up the biscuits and dumplings. It's my grandmother's and has been in our family for seventy-five years. I was so happy to be able to share a family tradition. It was finally my turn to make the dumplings. While watching the show months after it was filmed, I saw that Mama made an imperceptible (to all but her daughter) shudder when I added chopped jalapeño to the chicken. She liked it, though, and while it wasn't 'her' chicken and dumplings, the torch had been passed. So it's officially now my turn to make the chicken and dumplings...except when I go home to visit Mama! There's no getting any better than the way she does 'em!"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ All-purpose flour, for dredging
â—¦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 medium onion, finely chopped
â—¦ ½ cup finely chopped carrot
â—¦ ½ cup finely chopped celery
â—¦ 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
â—¦ 6 cups chicken broth
â—¦ 3 cups self-rising flour
â—¦ 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
â—¦ ¾ to 1 cup cold milk
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream


Recipe

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in all-purpose flour. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side.
Remove the chicken to a platter.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, jalapeños, cayenne, and thyme to the pot. Stir and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Return the browned chicken to the pot and add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dumpling dough. In a large bowl, mix the self-rising flour and shortening until crumbly, then add ¾ cup milk. Using your hands, knead the dough until it is firm and holds its shape. Add a bit more milk if it's too dry. Knead it a few times to make it come together. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and let it cool for a few minutes. Remove the skin and bones and discard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken, then put it back in the pot. Stir in the heavy cream.

On a floured surface (flour the rolling pin as well), roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut it into strips about 1 inch wide, then cut the strips into 2-inch pieces. Carefully drop the dumplings into the pot. Cover halfway with a lid and simmer until the dumplings are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings