Mama's Chicken and Dumplings
4 chicken leg quarters or 1 whole chicken, cut up
2 cups of flour 1 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup canned evaporated milk salt and pepper, to taste 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil 1 egg 1 tsp poultry seasoning, divided Fresh or dried rosemary equal to 1/2 tsp dried rosemary celery stalk 1 whole fresh carrot 1 onion, white or yellow, quartered 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp flour evaporated milk |
Clean and cut up chicken. Place chicken, celery, cut in large chunks, carrot, cut in large chunks, onion and rosemary in pot of salted water. Boil until chicken is tender. Drain broth into another pot and reserve. Set chicken to the side to cool. I remove the meat from the bones. My grandma didn't. Personal preference. I don't add vegetables or rosemary to the dumplings. I reserve them. I either serve them on the side or use them later in a different dish. I discard the rosemary.
Combine flour, baking powder, milk, salt, pepper, oil, egg and 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning. Mix well and roll into a ball. Flour surface, wax paper on the table or counter is fine. Roll out ball of dough until it is thin. Cut into strips. Let stand for a few minutes. Bring the reserved broth to a boil. Add canned chicken broth if there's not enough liquid. I usually add a can. Bring broth to a full, roiling boil. Add dumplings. Drop gently. One at a time. Add chicken and stir. Reduce slightly or it will boil over and make a big mess. In separate small pan, melt butter and add flour. Stir. It will be thick. This is the roux that really makes these dumplings say, "Wow!" Add milk until desired thickness. I like it to be like a really thick gravy. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning. Stir. Add roux slowly to dumplings, stirring frequently and cook to desired thickness. |