Claire Thompson
Chicken and dumplings is a hearty dish that has been warming hearts and bellies for generations. This comforting meal typically consists of tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy dumplings in a rich, savoury broth. While there are several ways to prepare this dish, one method involves using waterless cookware, such as a Dutch oven, to create a flavourful and cosy meal. By utilising waterless cookware, you can lock in the flavours and juices of the ingredients, resulting in a delicious and satisfying chicken and dumplings meal.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings in Waterless Cookware
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Chicken, chicken broth, vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, garlic, peas), dumplings, butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, milk, flour, baking powder, parsley, sugar, garlic powder |
| Cookware | Large pot with lid, skillet, rolling pin, pizza cutter, measuring cups and spoons, chef’s knife, cutting board, large wooden or silicone cooking spoon, cookie scoop |
| Preparation | Season and sear chicken in olive oil, set aside; sauté vegetables in butter and/or chicken drippings; add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and milk; bring to a gentle simmer; prepare dumpling dough and cut into shape; add chicken and dumplings to broth, cover, and simmer until cooked |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes for biscuits to cook through, 15-20 minutes for dumplings to cook through |
| Notes | Do not lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking; dumplings should be light and airy when ready; avoid overcooking the chicken to prevent toughness |
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What You'll Learn
Dumpling dough preparation
Ingredients:
For the dumpling dough, you will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, milk, and butter. You can also add parsley, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper to enhance the flavour.
Mixing the Dough:
Start by combining the flour and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Use a whisk or a fork to mix them together thoroughly. This step ensures that the baking powder is evenly distributed, which is essential for the dumplings to rise properly during cooking.
Next, add cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers to cut or rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. This process is known as "cutting in" the butter, and it creates a flaky and tender texture in the dumplings.
Once the butter is incorporated, gradually pour in the milk and begin mixing it with the flour mixture. You can use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula for this step. Mix until a soft and sticky dough forms. The dough should be moist and scoopable, so adjust the amount of milk as needed.
Rolling and Cutting:
Dust your work surface with a generous amount of flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dumpling dough on the floured surface and dust the top of the dough with additional flour.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to your desired thickness. Most recipes call for a thickness of about 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch. Keep the dough moving and add more flour as needed to avoid sticking.
Once the dough is rolled out, it's time to cut the dumplings into shape. You can use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares or strips. Don't worry about making perfect shapes—chicken and dumplings is a rustic dish!
Cooking the Dumplings:
After your dumplings are cut, it's time to cook them. Bring your chicken broth or gravy to a gentle simmer and add the dumplings one by one to avoid sticking. Cover the pot and let the dumplings cook for around 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time, as it's essential to trap the steam for the dumplings to cook properly.
Your dumplings are ready when they have doubled in size and are fluffy and cooked through. Overcooking the dumplings will cause them to become gummy and disintegrate, so stick to the recommended cooking time.
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and techniques to create your perfect dumpling dough. You can also try dropping the dough directly into the simmering broth for a quicker, more rustic dumpling. Enjoy your homemade chicken and dumplings!
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Chicken preparation
Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food in the Southern US. It is a flexible recipe that can be adapted to your preference. You can use a whole chicken, or chicken thighs or breasts, depending on your taste.
To prepare the chicken, season with salt and pepper and sear in olive oil for 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and let it rest for 10 minutes, then dice and put to one side. You can also boil the chicken directly in the broth, or boil a whole chicken in water to create a broth.
If you want to add vegetables, sauté onions, carrots, and celery in butter, along with the chicken. You could also add garlic, peas, and other vegetables of your choice.
For the broth, you can use chicken stock or broth, or condensed cream of chicken soup. You can also add milk to the broth if you wish.
Once you have prepared the chicken and vegetables, you can add the broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
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Cooking the chicken
Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food in the Southern US. It is a flexible recipe that can be adapted to your preference.
To cook the chicken, you can use leftover chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time. You can also boil a whole chicken in water to make your own broth. Alternatively, you can brown chicken thighs in a skillet with olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Set the chicken aside to rest for 10 minutes, then dice and set aside.
In the same pot, melt butter and use a spatula to scrape up the "fond" (brown chicken remnants) from the bottom of the pot. This will add flavour to the broth. Add onions, carrots, and celery and stir. You can also add parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Pour in chicken broth and milk and stir until the mixture simmers and thickens into a gravy. Add the diced chicken back into the pot and let it simmer in the gravy while you prepare the dumplings.
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Adding the dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food in the Southern US, and there are several ways to make it. The dumplings can be dropped, rolled, or made from biscuit dough.
When making chicken and dumplings, it's important to ensure that your broth is simmering very gently to steam the dumplings without burning the bottom of the pot. You can test whether the pot is ready by placing your ear next to it and listening for a gentle simmer.
Before adding the dumplings, dust them with a bit more flour. This will help prevent them from sticking together and will also thicken your broth.
Next, begin adding the dumplings one at a time to avoid them sticking together. Stir frequently while adding them.
Cover the pot tightly and maintain a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes without lifting the lid. You can check if the dumplings are done by inserting a toothpick to ensure the middle is set, or by cutting one dumpling in half to ensure it is cooked through. If it still has a doughy taste, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
If you prefer a simpler method, you can use pre-made biscuit dough. Simply cut the dough into smaller pieces and drop them into the simmering broth.
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Serving
Chicken and dumplings is best served fresh, straight from the stove. It can be served with French bread or biscuits on the side, and a side salad or green beans for extra vegetables.
The dumplings should have a light and airy texture inside when ready to serve. To check, remove one dumpling and cut it in half. If it is gummy, cook for a little longer. If it is doughy, it needs to be cooked for a few more minutes.
Chicken and dumplings can be stored in the fridge for up to three days, but it is best eaten fresh. The dumplings will continue to absorb the broth and may become gummy over time, so it is recommended to store the dumplings and soup separately.
To serve, ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and enjoy!
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Frequently asked questions
There are three types of dumplings used for chicken and dumplings: Drop, Rolled, and Biscuit. Drop dumplings are made by scooping dough from a bowl and dropping it into the soup for steaming. Rolled dumplings are made by rolling out the dough, cutting it into shapes, and cooking it in the broth. Biscuit dough is cut into smaller pieces and added to the soup to cook.
You will need chicken broth, cooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, biscuits, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and milk. You will also need flour, baking powder, and butter to make the dumplings.
First, combine the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, shredded chicken, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it simmers. Then, cut the biscuits into quarters and gently stir them into the soup. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the biscuits are no longer doughy in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, cut a dumpling in half to check if it's cooked through. If not, cook for a few more minutes with the lid on and test again.
To make the dumplings, combine flour, baking powder, and cold cubed butter in a medium bowl. You can use a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingers to mix. Then, pour in the milk and mix until a soft, sticky, scoopable dough forms. Dust your counter and dumpling dough with flour and roll the dough out to about 1/4” thickness using a rolling pin. Cut the dough into squares using a knife or pizza cutter. The dumplings should be about 2 Tbsp in size.
