Chicken And Dumplings: How Much Chicken Per Person?

Chicken and dumplings is a comforting dish that typically consists of a chicken soup or stew topped with fluffy dumplings. The amount of chicken used in this dish can vary depending on personal preference and the size of the group being served. As a guideline, a recipe for one serving of chicken and dumplings might use around 1.25 to 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. For a larger group, a recipe using around 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2-3 chicken breasts can be a good option.

Chicken and dumplings with raw chicken

Chicken and dumplings is a comforting, creamy chicken soup with homemade dumplings that is perfect for chilly days. It is a popular comfort food in the Southern US and can be made in a variety of ways, including with raw chicken.

To make chicken and dumplings with raw chicken, you will need:

• Chicken broth
• Bouillon
• Thyme
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Salt
• Pepper
• Raw chicken breasts or thighs (about 1.5 lbs for 1 person)
• Evaporated milk
• Peas
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Milk
• Butter
• Fresh parsley (optional)

Start by heating a large pot over medium heat and adding oil. Once hot, add celery, carrots, and onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Then, add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Next, add butter and flour, and whisk well for 1 minute.

Gradually stir in the chicken broth and bouillon, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Add the raw chicken and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Stir the evaporated milk and peas into the broth. To make the dumplings, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add milk, sour cream, and melted butter. Stir until combined but do not overmix.

Bring the soup back to a simmer and use a small spoon to drop teaspoon-sized amounts of dough all over the top. Cover the pot and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes. Remove the lid and gently stir to break up the dumplings. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve warm.

Using a pre-cooked chicken

Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food in the Southern US, and can be made with pre-cooked chicken. Using a pre-cooked chicken is a great shortcut to making this hearty dish, and it can be on the table in just 30 minutes.

The first step is to choose your pre-cooked chicken. You could use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, or a pre-roasted chicken. If you're short on time, you can pick up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store on your way home.

Next, you'll want to shred the chicken. By the time you get home, your rotisserie chicken should be cool enough to shred. You can also chop the chicken into fine pieces.

Now, you can start preparing your dumplings. You can make your own dough, or use a shortcut and buy refrigerated biscuit dough. If you're making your own, you can simply scoop the dough and drop it into the soup for steaming. If you're using biscuits, pinch off pieces of the dough and add them to your boiling broth and water mixture.

Finally, add your chicken to the pot. You can also add some chicken broth to your soup, and even a can of cream of chicken for extra flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

There you have it—a quick and easy chicken and dumplings recipe using pre-cooked chicken. This is a great option when you're short on time but still want a delicious, hearty meal.

Biscuit-style dumplings

To make biscuit-style dumplings, you can start by making your own biscuit dough or using canned biscuits. If you choose to make your own dough, you will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, cold butter or margarine, and whole milk. Combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the milk and stir until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can affect the texture of your dumplings.

Once you have your dough, you can start forming the dumplings. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough with one spoon and use another spoon to push it into the pot of simmering soup. Keep the dumplings a similar size so they cook evenly, and remember that the size of the dumplings will impact the cooking time. Smaller dumplings will need less time, while larger dumplings will require more time to cook through.

Cover the pot and simmer for around 12 to 15 minutes until the dumplings have puffed up and are cooked through. You can check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center of a dumpling. If it comes out clean, your dumplings are ready to enjoy! If not, cover and simmer for a few more minutes.

Drop-style dumplings

To make drop-style dumplings, you can use a simple dough made from flour, water, and sometimes eggs or milk. The dough is scooped up and dropped directly into the simmering soup or stew. It is important to note that the size of the dumplings will affect the cooking time, with smaller dumplings requiring less time and larger dumplings needing more time to cook through.

When making chicken and dumplings with drop-style dumplings, it is recommended to use bone-in chicken breast or thighs to add more flavor to the broth. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, or even leftover cooked chicken. The chicken is typically seasoned with salt and pepper, seared in olive oil, and then set aside to rest before being diced and added back into the soup or stew.

For the dumplings themselves, you can use a variety of dough recipes, but a common ingredient is baking powder, which helps to give the dumplings a fluffy texture. Other ingredients you may want to include are milk and butter, which add moisture and fat, and help the dumplings hold their shape. It is important not to over-mix the dough, as this can make the dumplings tough and dense. Once the dough is prepared, simply drop spoonfuls of it onto the surface of the chicken soup or stew and let it cook.

Overall, drop-style dumplings are a versatile and comforting addition to any meal. They are quick and easy to make, and their fluffy texture pairs well with the creamy broth of chicken and dumplings.

Rolled dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food in the Southern US. The recipe typically involves making a chicken soup or broth, and then adding dumplings. The dumplings can be dropped into the broth to cook, or they can be rolled out, cut into shapes, and cooked in the broth.

For rolled dumplings, you will need flour, baking powder, milk, and butter or shortening. Combine 2 cups of flour with 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in a medium bowl. Then, add 2 tablespoons of cold butter (cubed) and combine using your fingers, a fork, or a pastry cutter. The butter should resemble tiny pebbles when combined well. Pour in 1 cup of milk and mix everything together.

Dust your counter with a generous amount of flour. Place the dumpling dough on the counter and dust it with more flour. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness. Be sure to add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the counter or your rolling pin. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, start cutting out your dumplings. You can cut them into squares or strips about 1.5 inches wide and of any length you like.

Once you've cut out your dumplings, return the broth to a boil and add the dumplings one at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste and thicken if necessary with a slurry of flour and milk or water to your desired thickness. You can also add vegetables like carrots, celery, and peas if desired.

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